A comprehensive study on the success criteria and critical success factors for the management of construction projects in Singapore

Abstract

Project success in the construction industry is affected by variables that occur throughout a project’s life cycle. These critical success factors (CSFs) contribute to ensuring the success of a project, denoted by success criteria (SC). The main party concerned with CSFs is the project managers (PMs), and their ability to implement CSFs would depend on their understanding of these critical factors. In the Singaporean construction industry, there is a lacking consensus on what is considered good practice, and what CSFs should be prioritized. Through this study, a definitive list of CSFs was obtained by surveying industry professionals in the Singaporean construction industry. The survey totaled 178 respondents, supplemented by 8 interviews with experienced engineers. The survey data was analyzed by the relative importance index (RII) and compared with an extensive literature review; the top CSFs were concluded to be 1. Adequate funds/resources, 2. Adequate plans/specifications, 3. Competent project team, 4. Top management support, 5. Authority of the project manager, and 6. Clear project objectives/responsibilities. This research proposes a push towards authority given to the PM to secure proper planning of resources and sharing of information so that the project could proceed smoothly. Other CSFs that take less precedence but share a degree of importance include 1. Project’s economic viability, 2. Strong private consortium, 3. Risk management, and 4. Corporate culture. Future studies could focus on analyzing the effectiveness of implementing these CSFs into practice.