IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/vrs/otamic/v15y2023i1p1-22n1.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Project success and critical success factors of construction projects: project practitioners’ perspectives

Author

Listed:
  • Kumar Virender

    (Birla Institute of Management Technology, Greater Noida, UP, India)

  • Pandey Amrendra

    (Kautilya School of Public Policy, GITAM (Deemed to be University), Hyderabad, India)

  • Singh Rahul

    (Birla Institute of Management Technology, Business School, Greater Noida, India)

Abstract

Project management is primarily practitioner-oriented and loaded with many critical success factors (CSFs), and although these are well-evidenced in theory, they do not deliver as efficiently as factors of interest to project professionals during execution. The present study explores the perceptions of senior project managers (PMs) about project success, CSFs and complexity in large construction projects. Data from project practitioners were collected through semi-structured interviews and analysed using content analysis. The participants were selected with convenience sampling method given the complex understanding of the domain and included highly experienced PMs from the global community with expertise in project management. PMs perceive a small number of CSFs in contrast to the large exhaustive CSFs listed in the questionnaire surveys. Though important, traditional constraints of the Iron Triangle are considered inadequate in defining project success. Project professionals are seen as relying more on other performance indicators for defining a project as a success. They perceive complex construction projects in terms of a large number of interfaces, complex working systems and uncertainty. The findings of this paper suggest that project practitioners perceive differently about the CSFs and project success.

Suggested Citation

  • Kumar Virender & Pandey Amrendra & Singh Rahul, 2023. "Project success and critical success factors of construction projects: project practitioners’ perspectives," Organization, Technology and Management in Construction, Sciendo, vol. 15(1), pages 1-22, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:vrs:otamic:v:15:y:2023:i:1:p:1-22:n:1
    DOI: 10.2478/otmcj-2023-0001
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.2478/otmcj-2023-0001
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.2478/otmcj-2023-0001?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Rodríguez-Segura, Enrique & Ortiz-Marcos, Isabel & Romero, José Javier & Tafur-Segura, Javier, 2016. "Critical success factors in large projects in the aerospace and defense sectors," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(11), pages 5419-5425.
    2. Murat Gunduz & Mohammed Almuajebh, 2020. "Critical Success Factors for Sustainable Construction Project Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-17, March.
    3. Bing Li & A. Akintoye & P. J. Edwards & C. Hardcastle, 2005. "Critical success factors for PPP/PFI projects in the UK construction industry," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(5), pages 459-471.
    4. Stefan Olander & Anne Landin, 2008. "A comparative study of factors affecting the external stakeholder management process," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(6), pages 553-561.
    5. Aayushi Gupta & Mahesh Chandra Gupta & Ranjan Agrawal, 2013. "Identification and ranking of critical success factors for BOT projects in India," Management Research Review, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 36(11), pages 1040-1060, October.
    6. Dvir, D. & Lipovetsky, S. & Shenhar, A. & Tishler, A., 1998. "In search of project classification: a non-universal approach to project success factors," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 27(9), pages 915-935, December.
    7. S.Z.S. Tabish & Kumar Neeraj Jha, 2011. "Identification and evaluation of success factors for public construction projects," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(8), pages 809-823, August.
    8. Peter Love & Heng Li & Zahir Irani & Olusegun Faniran, 2000. "Total quality management and the learning organization: a dialogue for change in construction," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(3), pages 321-331.
    9. Aayushi Gupta & Mahesh Chandra Gupta & Ranjan Agrawal, 2013. "Identification and ranking of critical success factors for BOT projects in India," Management Research Review, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 36(11), pages 1040-1060, October.
    10. Mohammed Fadhil Dulaimi & Florence Ling & Arun Bajracharya, 2003. "Organizational motivation and inter-organizational interaction in construction innovation in Singapore," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(3), pages 307-318.
    11. Abdul-Rashid Abdul-Aziz, 2012. "Control mechanisms exercised in Malaysian housing public-private partnerships," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(1), pages 37-55, December.
    12. Kumar Neeraj Jha & CT Chockalingam, 2011. "Prediction of schedule performance of Indian construction projects using an artificial neural network," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(9), pages 901-911, July.
    13. Aayushi Gupta & Mahesh Chandra Gupta & Ranjan Agrawal, 2013. "Identification and ranking of critical success factors for BOT projects in India," Management Research Review, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 36(11), pages 1040-1060, October.
    14. Müller, Ralf & Turner, Rodney, 2007. "The Influence of Project Managers on Project Success Criteria and Project Success by Type of Project," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 25(4), pages 298-309, August.
    15. Yee Cheong Yong & Nur Emma Mustaffa, 2013. "Critical success factors for Malaysian construction projects: an empirical assessment," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 31(9), pages 959-978, September.
    16. Rockart, John F. (John Fralick), 1982. "The changing role of the information systems executive : a critical success factors perspective," Working papers 1297-82. Report (Alfred P, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Sloan School of Management.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Musa M. Mukhtar & Roslan Bin Amirudin & Trevor Sofield & Ismail Bin Mohamad, 2017. "Critical success factors for public housing projects in developing countries: a case study of Nigeria," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 19(5), pages 2039-2067, October.
    2. Jean-Charles Fiolet & Carl Haas & Keith Hipel, 2016. "Risk-chasing behaviour in on-site construction decisions," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 34(12), pages 845-858, December.
    3. Athanasios Lamprou & Dimitra G. Vagiona, 2022. "Identification and Evaluation of Success Criteria and Critical Success Factors in Project Success," Global Journal of Flexible Systems Management, Springer;Global Institute of Flexible Systems Management, vol. 23(2), pages 237-253, June.
    4. Eunice Kabahinda & Rogers Mwesigwa, 2023. "Trust Mediates the Relationship Between Stakeholder Behavior and Stakeholder Management of Public Private Partnership Projects in Uganda," Public Organization Review, Springer, vol. 23(1), pages 245-263, March.
    5. Alberto Cerezo-Narváez & Andrés Pastor-Fernández & Manuel Otero-Mateo & Pablo Ballesteros-Pérez, 2022. "The Influence of Knowledge on Managing Risk for the Success in Complex Construction Projects: The IPMA Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-30, August.
    6. Silvia Martínez-Perales & Isabel Ortiz-Marcos & Jesús Juan Ruiz & Francisco Javier Lázaro, 2018. "Using Certification as a Tool to Develop Sustainability in Project Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-18, May.
    7. Khalifa Alteneiji & Sabah Alkass & Saleh Abu Dabous, 0. "A review of critical success factors for public–private partnerships in affordable housing," International Journal of System Assurance Engineering and Management, Springer;The Society for Reliability, Engineering Quality and Operations Management (SREQOM),India, and Division of Operation and Maintenance, Lulea University of Technology, Sweden, vol. 0, pages 1-12.
    8. Ahmed S. El Touny & Ahmed H. Ibrahim & Hossam H. Mohamed, 2021. "An Integrated Sustainable Construction Project’s Critical Success Factors (ISCSFs)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-26, August.
    9. Agata Klaus-Rosińska & Joanna Iwko, 2021. "Stakeholder Management—One of the Clues of Sustainable Project Management—As an Underestimated Factor of Project Success in Small Construction Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-27, September.
    10. Abraham Park & Chen Yu Chang, 2013. "Impacts of Construction Events on the Project Equity Value of the Channel Tunnel Project," ERES eres2013_97, European Real Estate Society (ERES).
    11. Butković Lana Lovrenčić, 2021. "A new framework for ranking Critical Success Factors for International Construction Projects," Organization, Technology and Management in Construction, Sciendo, vol. 13(2), pages 2505-2520, July.
    12. Ahmadabadi, Ali Akbari & Heravi, Gholamreza, 2019. "The effect of critical success factors on project success in Public-Private Partnership projects: A case study of highway projects in Iran," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 152-161.
    13. Marc Herz & Nicco Krezdorn, 2022. "Epic fail: Exploring project failure’s reasons, outcomes and indicators," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 16(4), pages 1169-1193, May.
    14. Rodríguez-Segura, Enrique & Ortiz-Marcos, Isabel & Romero, José Javier & Tafur-Segura, Javier, 2016. "Critical success factors in large projects in the aerospace and defense sectors," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(11), pages 5419-5425.
    15. Akbari Ahmadabadi, Ali & Heravi, Gholamreza, 2019. "Risk assessment framework of PPP-megaprojects focusing on risk interaction and project success," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 169-188.
    16. Shakir Hafeez & Shahid Hussain & Yasir Javed & Bilal Bin Saeed, 2016. "Influence of Benefits Realization Management on Business Strategies and Project Success in Pakistan’s Construction Projects," International Review of Management and Marketing, Econjournals, vol. 6(3), pages 481-493.
    17. Rehan Ashok & Thorpe David & Heravi Amirhossein, 2024. "Leadership practices and communication framework for project success – The construction sector," Organization, Technology and Management in Construction, Sciendo, vol. 16(1), pages 204-223.
    18. Łukasz Kański & Jan Chadam & Grzegorz Kłosowski, 2022. "Intellectual Capital: A New Predictive Indicator for Project Management Improvement," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-22, November.
    19. Ahmed Farouk Kineber & Mohammed Magdy Hamed, 2022. "Exploring the Sustainable Delivery of Building Projects in Developing Countries: A PLS-SEM Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-19, November.
    20. Rogers Mwesigwa & Justine Nanteza & Joseph Mayengo & Ruth Nabwami & Joshua Tumwesige, 2024. "Critical success factors for public-private partnership projects in Uganda," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 4(11), pages 1-22, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:vrs:otamic:v:15:y:2023:i:1:p:1-22:n:1. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Peter Golla (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.sciendo.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.