Identification of Key Contractor Characteristic Factors That Affect Project Success under Different Project Delivery Systems: Empirical Analysis Based on a Group of Data from China

Abstract

The reasonable choice of a proper project delivery system (PDS) is one of the key links to project success. Research in this area has focused on decision making in PDSs. However, project success depends not only on the science of choosing a PDS but also, to a large extent, on the degree of contractor adaptation to the chosen delivery system or the degree to which the contractor characteristics match the PDS. Therefore, this study attempts to explore the key contractor characteristic factors that affect project success under different PDSs by collecting data on these delivery systems from previously completed projects that adopt and track the characteristics of contractors involved in these projects. A total of 12 contractor characteristic factors that affect project success under different PDSs were obtained via a literature review. Next, according to 73 research samples from successful projects in China that adopted different PDSs selected from questionnaires, the key contractor characteristics factors that affect project success under different PDSs were explored using rough set model. The findings indicate that a contractor’s coordination and communications, a contractor’s experience with similar types of projects, a contractor’s ability in financial management, and a contractor’s design capability are the four most key factors for project success under different PDSs. This study provides theoretical support for the owner in selecting a project PDS and also provides a theoretical basis on which the owner can select qualified contractors according to the chosen PDS.