Barriers and Challenges to the Adoption of Collaborative Project Delivery Methods: A Multiple-Case Study Analysis

Abstract

The last 30 years have seen considerable advantages afforded to those who chose to adopt more collaborative project delivery methods (IPD, Progressive Design Build) in the Construction Industry; however, despite these benefits, construction projects utilizing collaborative delivery methods still only account for a small fraction of overall construction deliveries. This research focused on probing leading industry professionals to better identify the barriers and challenges which are currently preventing project stakeholders across the United States from adopting these more collaborative project delivery methods, particularly first-time adopters. This study collected data from semi-structured interviews with 13 professionals in the Construction Industry who had experience with collaborative project delivery methods. Detailed analysis of stakeholder responses using NVivo software led to key insights associated with the implementation of IPD and Progressive Design Build projects including those related to teaming, learning, and administration. A new class of challenges is proposed related to managerial obstacles. The implication of this research is that appropriately recognizing and categorizing the pitfalls associated with the implementation of collaborative project delivery methods can provide Construction Industry professionals with a valuable framework for formulating effective solutions to overcome them.