Variations in critical success factors of PPP-procured construction projects over lifecycle phases

Abstract

We explore the variations in importance of critical success factors (CSFs) over project lifecycle stages of construction public–private partnership (PPP) projects. A two-staged study is employed involving a literature search and identification of factors supplemented with a two-staged Delphi exercise. Our findings point to the existence of 24 CSFs with varying levels of importance over the project lifecycle. Three CSF appeared important in three of the four phases. Most CSFs appeared important in two of the four phases while six CSFs appeared in only one phase. Findings suggest project stakeholders emphasized specific endogenous CSFs as being more important during the initial phases of the project. However, these CSFs then gave way to the prominence of more exogenous CSFs emphasizing change and transformation as the project moved towards the ‘Execution’ and ‘Benefits realization’ phases. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.

Keywords:

• Critical success factors
• construction
• public–private partnerships (PPPs)
• projects
• lifecycle

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS:

• SDG 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Udechukwu Ojiako

Udechukwu Ojiako is Professor of Engineering Systems Management at the University of Strathclyde. Previously, he was Professor of Engineering Management at the University of Sharjah. Udi holds a PhD (in Project Management) from Northumbria University. He holds a second PhD (in Business) from the University of Hull and a third PhD (in Law) from Aberystwyth University. Udi is also a Barrister, having been called to the Bar of England & Wales (Honourable Society of the Middle Temple). Udi’s research interest is broad spanning comparative decision-making and cross-disciplinary research situated in project-centric operational and business environments.

Maxwell Chipulu

Maxwell Chipulu is Professor of Operations Analytics at Edinburgh Napier University, United Kingdom. Previously, he was a mechanical engineer, working in production. He earned his PhD in Management Sciences and Statistics, MSc in Management Sciences and BEng in Mechanical Engineering from University of Southampton, UK. Max is an interdisciplinary researcher. He mainly researches the use of analytics in complex and/or uncertain operations management environments particularly projects. But he is also interested in methodology of text analytics, how culture influences organizations, ethicality and sustainability and the pedagogy of quantitative subjects in Business School settings. He has published articles in reputable international journals such as IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, International Journal of Operations & Production Management International Journal of Forecasting, Production Planning & Control, Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, International Review of Financial Analysis, Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting and the International Journal of Project Management.

Ahmad Meile Almeile

Ahmad Meile Almeile is the Manager of Doyof Al Rahman Program Initiatives at the Ministry of Culture in the KSA. He holds a PhD and MSc in project management from the UK and a BSc in Architecture and Building Science from the KSA. He is also qualified as a Consultant Architectural Engineer by the Saudi Council of Engineers. He has over 20 years of experience managing governmental projects. His main area of expertise focuses on reducing risks and expanding the successful use of projects by concentrating on the project life cycle, moderators, mediators, critical success factors and project success criteria from PPP project management perspective. In addition, he has represented the KSA at many international meetings and forums, including those held by UNESCO and ICCROM. Ahmad has published many pre-reviewed articles and monographs in reputable international journals and conferences such as Production Planning & Control, Corporate Governance and EURAM.

Lavagnon Ika

Lavagnon Ika received a PhD degree in project management from the Universite du Quebec, Canada, in 2011. He is currently a Professor of Project Management and the Program Director for the M.Sc. in management with the Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa. He also holds a joint affiliation with the School of International Development and Global Studies, University of Ottawa. He has a keen interest in international development projects. His work has appeared in leading international journals such as World Development, the IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, Production Planning and Control, Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, the International Journal of Project Management, the Project Management Journal, the International Journal of Managing Projects in Business and the Journal of African Business. His research interests include what makes projects complex; what makes projects successful; why do projects fail and what can be done about it; why projects experience cost overruns and benefit shortfalls; how do projects really ‘behave’ or work and what is the role of strategy, supervision and management in project success/failure.

Hamdi Bashir

Hamdi Bashir holds a PhD degree from McGill University, Canada. Currently, he is a Professor of Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management at the University of Sharjah, UAE. Prior to joining this university, he held faculty positions at Sultan Qaboos University, University of Alberta and Concordia University. Bashir’s research interest focuses on modelling and analysing complexity in engineering management using data mining and graph theory related techniques. He is a senior member of the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers.

Alasdair Marshall

Alasdair Marshall is currently Associate Professor in Risk Management at Southampton Business School where he joined as a Lecturer in Risk Management in September 2008. Both his MA (Hons) degree and PhD are in Social Science, from the University of Glasgow. Alasdair is particularly interested in interdisciplinary organization studies perspectives on risk research that bring together issues of strategy, leadership, culture, politics and decision-making. He has published articles in reputable international journals such as Journal of Risk Research, Journal of Business Ethics, International Journal of Forecasting, Production Planning & Control, Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice and the International Journal of Project Management.

Eman Jasim Hussain AlRaeesi

Eman Jasim Hussain AlRaeesi is the Engineering Affairs Director at the Government of Sharjah Office, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. She is also a part time Lecturer in Engineering Management at the University of Sharjah. She has 15 years’ experience working on service delivery, public policy and innovation and knowledge management projects across various facets of the Government of Sharjah. Most recently, she was solely responsible for the successful automating and unifying the processes of applying and delivering of the municipal services for the Engineering and Buildings Sector within the Emirate of Sharjah. Eman holds a PhD in Engineering Management from the University of Sharjah.