Organizational Justice and its Impact on Project Performance: An Explanatory Framework in the Context of the Construction Industry

Despite the constant improvement of project management tools and methodologies the performance of projects is decreasing. Considering the forecast that the volume of projects undertaken will roughly double by 2025 this is a considerable issue for the profession. Therefore this work focuses on the psycho-social relationships in projects, in particular organisational justice (climate) and their impact on performance in order to present an alternative approach to increase project performance and to highlight this under-researched area. Three studies were conducted for the purpose of this work: first, a questionnaire was used to explore the relationships between organisational justice (climate) and different aspects of performance, mediated through antecedents of project performance. The questionnaire produced a final sample of 194 cases and was analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM). Second, focus groups were administered to better understand how organisational justice (climate) effects performance. A phenomenological analysis was conducted to explore the lived experience of the participants. And third, a case study was undertaken to explain how organisational justice (climate) relates to various antecedents of project performance. The case study was analysed using propositions and pattern matching. All three studies revealed that there are significant and strong relationships between organisational justice (climate) and project performance. These relationships are complex and manifold, but it can be concluded overall that the adoption of fair principles and procedures in projects improves the project performance. Based on the triangulation of the three studies an explanatory framework was developed, which includes details on all the different aspects. In essence, this research showed that next to tools and methodologies it is important to pay attention to the psycho-social relationships in projects in order to be able to face the upcoming challenges of the profession.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

phd

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Liverpool John Moores University

Year dc:date.issued

2017

Author dc:creator

• Unterhitzenberger, C

Contributors dc:contributor

• Bryde, D
• Fearon, D
• Cotgrave, A

• HD28 Management. Industrial Management
• TH Building construction

DOI dc:identifier.doi

https://doi.org/10.24377/LJMU.t.00005376

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk:5376