Construction project success under uncertainty: Interrelations among the external environment, intellectual capital, and project attributes

Prior studies have focused on identifying and ranking critical success factors (CSFs), but both their interdependence and the vagueness resulting from human judgment have been neglected. Furthermore, there is a need to explain CSFs from the short- and long-term planning horizons. This study aims to identify, rank, and examine the interdependence of the critical factors affecting construction projects in low-income economies. The study applied the fuzzy Delphi method (FDM) to validate subfactors identified from the literature. The hierarchical relationship between success factors and linguistic preferences is considered by using a fuzzy analytical hierarchical process (FAHP) and a fuzzy decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (FDEMATEL) methodology. The former is applied to rank the relative weights of the factors and subfactors, and the latter is used to discover the nature of their interrelationship. The results indicate that over the short term, the relationships with the clients, consultants, designers, top management, and the financial situation of the contractor are essential. However, for strategic management and long-term success, the most influential factors are the external environment and the types of projects undertaken. Therefore, the economic climate, technical and professional capabilities, and costs, funds, and resources should be the primary concerns when establishing the project goals. Furthermore, this study provides managerial and theoretical implications to guide construction projects from both short- and long-term perspectives.