Collaborative project delivery models in infrastructure construction

Doctoral thesis, 2023

When projects grow into megaprojects, their management becomes more complex due to an increasing number of inter-organisational interfaces within the project organisation. Spurred on by both the growing size of projects but also the adversity and conflict-prone culture characteristic of construction, the infrastructure industry has turned to collaborative project delivery models based on relational governance. However, little is known of this new phenomenon and as literature thus far mainly focused on the procurement phase and governance, researchers have called for further insight into the delivery phase and how projects using collaborative delivery models work in practice. This thesis aims to investigate the application of CPDM in infrastructure delivery projects and analyse changes introduced thereby for project actors. The aim is examined through three research questions: (1) How do social network dynamics explain the implementation of CPDM in the delivery phase of infrastructure projects; (2) How does using a CPDM impact project delivery; and (3) How does using a CPDM influence the interaction between the project network and its institutional environment?

Collaborative project delivery models are said to support trust-building, quicker decision-making, information flow and project quality through the interaction of informal relationships and formal contractual frameworks, emphasizing the social dimension of the project organisation. With these aspects in mind, I follow the recent stream of applying social network analysis and network theories to better understand these inter-organisational relations. To create deeper insight into the changing industry, I also study the interaction of the project with its environment through an institutional lens. This thesis builds on a qualitative research design based on four main case studies. The empirical data consists of interviews, observations and document analysis. I have also mapped the social networks in three projects and approach them through a qualitative lens, focusing on the interaction between the project network and its institutional framing.

For megaproject research, this thesis adds rich data regarding project delivery and social networks created in large-scale project organisations. The research also identifies mechanics enabling the creation of collaborative organisations, but also the challenges of too well-connected networks. With respect to institutional change and institutional logics, this thesis adds insight and empirical examples of how logics interact and develop within project organisations. The contrasting results from the case studies show how the project network can either enable or constrain the development of new institutions and logics and how the project acts as an arena for change. As for social network theory, this thesis adds insight into the development of networks and the importance of the ties between actors as conduits of flows within the network, both pertaining to resources and change. Through empirical examples of three project networks, this thesis explains how the ‘snapshots’ of project networks have come to be and how they might develop. Finally, for practitioners, this thesis highlights the need for a collaborative mindset from the get-go and the importance of the formal framework as an enabler of informal social ties. For those working in the field of collaborative megaprojects, the findings acknowledge the importance of the project network and social dynamics within the project. It also highlights the necessary changes in roles and behaviours, especially in early project phases, as actors need to align their understanding of the project in unaccustomed ways.