An exploratory investigation on the determinants of successful collaborative projects in the Malaysian construction industry

Background: Project management is a critical business discipline for an organization to create a competitive edge as well as a prominent tool to delivering successful projects. The changes in the current societal, environmental, economic, and technological horizons prompt a more collaborative engagement in managing projects. Therefore, the traditionally accepted ways of managing projects need to be revisited. Methods: This research employs an empirical approach to identify the determinants of successful collaborative project management in the construction industry. The exploratory stage of this research aims to identify the variables of collaborative projects and to understand the relationships among the variables. The research uses qualitative methods to understand factors of project success by conducting interviews with project practitioners in the construction industry. Data from the interviews was transcribed word-by-word and the content was analyzed manually using a thematic content analysis. Results: The findings show that project management maturity, decision-making process, knowledge management, and coordination can contribute to the success of managing a collaborative project.  Conclusions: The results of the study can be applied in managing a construction project. It also contributes to the body of knowledge regarding project management.