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Project management for social good: A conceptual framework and research agenda for socially sustainable construction project management

Ashish Goel (School of Construction Management, National Institute of Construction Management and Research, Pune, India)
L.S. Ganesh (Department of Management Studies, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, India)
Arshinder Kaur (Department of Management Studies, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, India)

International Journal of Managing Projects in Business

ISSN: 1753-8378

Article publication date: 26 February 2020

Issue publication date: 11 June 2020

2775

Abstract

Purpose

Recent research on construction project management (CPM) envisions addressing wider social good while delivering value to the funding organizations. It is complemented by a growing body of knowledge on social sustainability in construction projects. These two literature streams are currently scattered and there is a lack of holistic guidance on integrating social sustainability with CPM. The current study addresses this knowledge gap through a critical review of these two bodies of literature and thereby proposing a conceptual framework for socially sustainable CPM.

Design/methodology/approach

A conceptual modelling approach, involving sequential steps of knowledge acquisition, and knowledge abstraction and representation, has been used. Knowledge acquisition was based on a systematic search and short-listing of research articles and knowledge abstraction was performed through thematic analysis of the 81 shortlisted articles. The categories abstracted through thematic analysis were integrated and presented as the framework.

Findings

A framework for socially sustainable CPM, consisting of four social sustainability characteristics and six areas of social sustainability integration in CPM (SSI-CPM), has been proposed. It presents possibilities of integrating social concerns in CPM processes at various levels – ranging from permanent firms that provide resources to the temporary (project) organization that delivers value.

Originality/value

This study seeks to bridge the gap between theory and practice of realizing social good through construction projects. To this end, a conceptual framework has been proposed along with an agenda for future research encompassing social sustainability and CPM.

Keywords

Citation

Goel, A., Ganesh, L.S. and Kaur, A. (2020), "Project management for social good: A conceptual framework and research agenda for socially sustainable construction project management", International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, Vol. 13 No. 4, pp. 695-726. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMPB-06-2019-0155

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited

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