A Leap from Negative to Positive Bond. A Step towards Project Sustainability

Francesco Di Maddaloni,Roya Derakhshan

doi:10.3390/admsci9020041

Abstract

Departing from the normative formulation of stakeholder theory and building upon the current body of knowledge, this study aims to advance understandings on the benefits and challenges towards a more holistic approach to stakeholder management at the local level of major public infrastructure and construction projects (MPIC). Major construction projects, project managers, and the local community stakeholder are deemed to operate within a ‘negative bond’. This interaction is elucidated through the attribution theory lens, which shape the conceptual framework of the study. This paper illustrates that a broader inclusiveness of stakeholder views into managerial decisions can initiate to break this negative bond and shift it towards positive relationships. An organization’s conscious approach towards transparent communication with the local community stakeholder might help to shape a long-term perspective for better project benefits realization either at the national, regional, or local level. By ‘exceeding stakeholders needs and expectations’, project managers and local communities can better collaborate in order to achieve sustainable development over time.

Highlights

Major public infrastructure and construction projects (MPIC) are important tools to foster modernization and enhance economic and social development (Altshuler and Luberoff 2003; Kara et al 2016)
Projects have performed poorly in terms of benefits and public support due to their unavoidable impact on people and places (Bruzelius et al 2002). It is by bridging the gap pertaining the poor performance of MPIC project, the lack of decision making, and poor public support, that this paper seeks to improve the sustainability of such projects through better inclusiveness of project stakeholders
We formulated the following research question: How can the local community stakeholders and project managers better control their attribution from each other’s behavior in order to increase the sustainable development of MPIC projects?

Summary

Introduction

Major public infrastructure and construction projects (MPIC) are important tools to foster modernization and enhance economic and social development (Altshuler and Luberoff 2003; Kara et al 2016). The decision making for these projects is not driven by the real needs of the society, but mainly by the technological, political, economic, and aesthetic sublimes highlighted by Flyvbjerg (2014) and, historically, MPIC projects have performed poorly in terms of benefits and public support due to their unavoidable impact on people and places (Bruzelius et al 2002). It is by bridging the gap pertaining the poor performance of MPIC project, the lack of decision making, and poor public support, that this paper seeks to improve the sustainability of such projects through better inclusiveness of project stakeholders

Objectives

Findings

Discussion

Conclusion