Strategy: Towards its applicability for successful project delivery

Successful project delivery is somewhat elusive because cost overruns, time extensions and quality failures have become common features on construction projects. Advanced database software packages and computer aided design, using nD modelling and artificial intelligence have been developed, but these solutions are inadequate to mitigate construction failures. Some studies suggest strategic approaches as the ideal alternative for successful construction project delivery. The pros and cons of this suggestion are reviewed in this paper. The key objective is to proffer strategy-led approaches as the best practice in construction project management, recognising the drawbacks in current project management practices. It is part of an on-going initiative to determine the applicability of a strategy-led approach to successful construction project delivery. The study on which this paper is based reviews different solutions available to planning for successful construction project delivery. The larger study aims to gather successful project delivery strategies that project managers use in project delivery. Successful project managers will be recruited and questionnaire surveys and structured interviews will be employed to evaluate their abilities to cope with project complexities, dynamisms, uniqueness and uncertainties. Contextual information on the larger study programme is provided while concluding with postulations for the adoption of a strategy-led approach to construction project planning. The strategy led approach is suggested as a root for the adoption of both reflective practice and technical rational paradigms. The authors believe there are benefits that could be derived from taking this conceptual approach to construction project delivery.