Project Management Knowledge of Construction Professionals: Cross-Country Study of Effects on Project Success

Abstract

This multinational study of the contribution of the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) to the success of construction engineering projects was performed to reveal cross-country similarities and differences. A survey questionnaire of professional engineers in the construction industry (project managers, stakeholders, and team members) was performed in Taiwan, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Structural equation modeling was used to determine the effects of PMBOK techniques/tools/skills (TTSs) on project success (PS). The contributions to the PMBOK include (1) a novel PS index (PSI) framework adapted from the American Customer Satisfaction Index and an importance-performance analysis (IPA) for prioritizing PMBOK TTS predictors of PS, (2) an IPA technique for identifying PMBOK TTS items that help construction practitioners improve PS by implementing effective managerial strategies, enhancing project performance, and improving the efficient use of management resources, and (3) guidance in the current use of PMBOK TTSs by practitioners and educators in the construction engineering field. Empirical data obtained in a cross-country comparison confirm that effective use of PMBOK TTSs substantially increases the probability of PS. Moreover, construction practitioners can develop management knowledge needed to increase the likelihood of PS based on TTS that this study identified as essential for project performance.