Construction professionals' perception of critical success factors for large-scale construction projects

Purpose – Large-scale construction projects pose several challenges for successful completion. There seems to be no general agreement among researchers on what are the critical success factors (CSFs) on construction projects. Success factors vary across various projects, let alone countries. This paper attempts to elicit the perception of construction professionals on CSFs appertaining to large-scale construction projects in Thailand. Design/methodology/approach – Questionnaire surveys and interviews were conducted with project managers, deputy project managers, and line managers to gather their perception on CSFs. Findings – Results of 76 questionnaire surveys and 35 interviews revealed that factors related to project planning and control, project personnel, and involvement of client were perceived to be critical for the success of large-scale construction projects in Thailand. Participants also showed their high concern for sufficient resources, adequate communication, mutual understanding of stakeholders on project goals, and award of bids to the “right” designers and contractors. Research limitations/implications – The study was conducted on a single large-scale construction project in Thailand, and hence, findings should be interpreted in context of Thai construction industry. The study also did not consider any specific procurement methods under which the project was being developed. Participants were asked about their general perception about CSFs on large-scale construction projects. Practical implications – Results from this study can be used as guidelines to ascertain CSFs on other large-scale projects in Thailand. Project managers can also use this study to evaluate their current project and compare the perceived and real success factors for knowledge management exercises. Originality/value – The paper captures the perception of construction professionals about CSFs in large-scale projects in Thailand. It also presents a model for conceptual illustration of CSFs by differentiating the process domain from performance domain.