A schema of trust building attributes and their corresponding integrated project delivery traits

Trust-based relationship is critical in building an integrated and collaborative team. Relational contracting like Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) is centered on the notion of trust and aims to further foster trust and collaboration. This research offers an in-depth analysis on how trust-building attributes are supported and leveraged by IPD traits. All the distinguishing traits of IPD are found effective in building trust. A few examples of these trust-building traits are: establishment of a core IPD team, jointly developed goals, collaborative decision-making, shared risks and rewards, and open communication. Additionally, IPD utilizes relational clauses and behavioral principles to influence an individual's values and culture of trust. The research demonstrates that while IPD is effective in promoting trust, it does not warrant trust-based relationships, as the contract and team members' characteristics also play critical roles in building trust. The key to success of IPD is establishing a clearly defined contact which equitably aligns efforts and rewards, and selecting the collaborative partners who have an established trust-based relationships and are committed to the IPD principles. The manuscript contributes to the body of knowledge by developing a schema of trust-building attributes and their corresponding IPD traits.