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The aim of this paper is to provide a clearer picture of the nature of power imbalance in client‐consultant teams, which has negative consequences for the development and implementation of consultants' recommendations, and to outline ways how to avoid such an imbalance in the first instance.

This is an empirical paper based on in‐depth semi‐structured interviews with clients and consultants from the strategic consulting sector in Australia.

Taking a differentiated look at the roles and responsibilities of members of client‐consultant teams, the authors propose that power within client‐consultant teams is multidimensional and the outcome of the interplay of its different forms is not predictable. It is further argued that a power balance is crucial for achieving better results from consulting projects.

The findings are not generalizable, due to the small sample and the focus on strategic consulting. The results encourage further research in different types of consulting projects as well as studies based on observation of client‐consultant interactions.

The paper highlights the main points of concern for managers and consultants and provides some suggestions on how to achieve a balanced relationship.

This paper's major contribution is in providing deeper insight into a hitherto underexplored issue of client‐consultant interactions: the contested nature of power in client‐consultant teams and the reasons and outcomes of power imbalance.

The purpose of this paper is to propose an enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementation model based on the agency theory and the Delone and McLean information systems (IS) success model. This paper answers two major research questions: (i) how does client–consultant interaction affect the outcome of ERP implementation projects; and (ii) how can this interaction be managed effectively to ensure successful project outcomes?

An electronic banking institution in Africa was used to conduct a case study research and examine the validity of the proposed conceptual framework.

Based on the constructs of the conceptual framework, the study found that client–consultant relationships/interactions mediate the effect of human, organizational, and technological critical success factors (CSFs) on information quality, service quality, and information quality. Agency conflicts in client–consultant relationships can be managed using outcome incentive-based contracts and a conflict management committee.

This is a single case study research. Thus, despite its analytical validity and generalizability, there is a need for more studies on the statistical validity of the model in other contexts.

This paper provides practical information needed to manage conflicts between clients and consultants, as well as factors that must be considered in order to keep the interest of both parties aligned.

No research has been conducted on how to manage client–consultant interactions and related conflicts in ERP implementation projects. This study fills this gap using a well-established theoretical foundation to propose a conceptual framework that would guide and drive further discussions on the topic. This is also one of the few studies in the context of developing countries.

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) consultants have the expertise required to understand the specific contextual needs of an ERP client, implement tailored business processes that meet those needs, and ensure that no potential benefit offered by the ERP remains unexplored by the client. However, conflicts between ERP clients and consultants are a significant source of non-benefit realisation, making managing client–consultant agency crucial to ERP post-implementation benefits realisation. This paper aims to elucidate how managing client–consultant agency affects the benefits derived from ERP systems.

This paper uses microfinance institutions in 15 sub-Saharan African countries to explore different paths through which managing client–consultant agency leads to benefit realisation in ERP projects. It uses partial least squares structural equation modelling to analyse data from 127 managers and explains the results using insights from agency theory and the information system (IS) success model.

This paper reveals three routes through which contractual agreements and conflict resolution strategies lead to benefits realisation in ERP projects.

This is the first study that attempts to provide quantitative evidence of how managing the complex relationship between ERP project stakeholders affects ERP project success. It also contributes a novel theoretical model for ERP benefits realisation to complement existing research on ERP agency issues, critical success factors, and benefits realisation.

This paper aims to highlight the similarities and differences in the buildability perspectives held by the client and the design team (collectively known as the design decision‐making group) and the contractor (known as the execution group).

Buildability attributes were identified through a questionnaire survey, followed by factor analysis to consolidate them into nine buildability factors. These were then presented to 31 construction experts (comprising clients, consultants and contractors), who ranked the buildability factors in association with common construction systems using the analytical hierarchy process.

Whilst the consensus was on “enabling design requirements to be easily visualised and co‐ordinated by site staff” to make designs buildable, clients and design teams differed from contractors in perspectives such as overcoming site restrictions, achieving standardisation and flexibility. When applied to construction systems, clients and design teams ranked precast systems higher than contractors, who favoured in situ systems.

Since the research was conducted in Hong Kong, the interpretation of the findings should be based on this contextual background as described in the paper.

This paper highlights the common and different perspectives of the design decision‐making group and the execution group in evaluating buildability and the reasons underlying their decisions. It paves the way for meaningful benchmarking of an important attribute affecting all construction stakeholders. The results form part of the development of a Buildability Assessment Model for use in Hong Kong, which is a useful tool for benchmarking buildability of designs, as in other countries (e.g. Singapore) which see the benefits of this important attribute on project performance.

Examines both consultant and client perceptions of the consulting relationship, focusing on internal process consultants and a sample of their clients. Employs a procedure based on repertory grid technique to elicit dimensions of client‐consultant relationships from 22 consultants and 16 of their clients within a major UK company. Develops a questionnaire in order to determine the importance and frequency of these dimensions, and also to investigate any perceived differences between the views of clients and consultants. Dimensions fell within four broad categories: clients’ skills and behaviours; consultants’ skills and behaviours; contract details or the logistics of the project; and dimensions focusing specifically on the client‐consultant relationship. Clients focused particularly on the contract details, placing less emphasis on the importance of either their own skills and behaviours or the relationship they formed with the consultant. Consultants, on the other hand, viewed relationship building as most important. Makes recommendations for establishing and enhancing client‐consultant relationships.

This chapter provides an overview of a literature study on knowledge creation in client–consultant interaction. Clients and consultants can interact with each other to create knowledge (Kang et al., 2007), and knowledge creation can take place through dialogues (Hautala, 2011; Hennessy et al., 2016; Lorino & Mourey, 2013; MacIntosh et al., 2012; Majchrzak et al., 2012; Nursey-Bray et al., 2010; Quinlan, 2009; Rutten, 2017; Rutten & Boekema, 2012; Sapir et al., 2016; Tsoukas, 2009). But how do these dialogues “work?” In knowledge creation dialogues the following process (Majchrzak et al., 2012) is used: “(1) voicing fragments, (2) co-creating the scaffold, (3) dialoguing around the scaffold, (4) moving the scaffold aside, and (5) sustaining engagement” (p. 958). Interaction and dialogues are impacted by social elements, of which the use of power resources (Heizmann & Olsson, 2015) seems to be an interesting dimension in client–consultant interaction. We suggest doing further exploration to increase our understanding of how knowledge is created in client–consultant interaction.

The purpose of this study is to confirm the existence of PE and the role it plays from the perspective of management consultants. One of the greatest challenges facing management consultants today is how to win business through satisfying client needs. There are a number of authors who have identified that meeting clients' unwritten and unspoken expectations i.e. psychological expectations (PE), can yield competitive advantage for consultants. However, there is a dearth of research in this area.

Semi structured interviews were carried out with twenty management consultants in Australia. Questions canvassed their views on the existence of PE, the forms it took and its strategic value in client‐consultant relationships.

Types of PE identified in literature were found to exist widely in practice. Consultants were very aware of PE and the importance of addressing them. Benefits of meeting PE reported were additional business with existing clients or referrals by satisfied clients to other clients. Some PE presented an ethical dilemma to consultants and in some cases they would rather walk away from assignments which they deem as unethical.

The paper showed that the strategic importance placed on PE by practitioner literature is worthy of focus. Through this research, it has been established for the first time that psychological expectations impact upon the success of the client‐consultant relationship from the viewpoint of consultants.

Using projects executed with both traditional and integrated procurement methods, the study sought to investigate relationships that exist among project participants and the influence of those relationships on cost growth. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Questionnaires were administered among 274 construction projects located in 12 states including the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria. Responses were obtained from 96 projects. Data were subjected to both descriptive and inferential analyses.

In terms of cordiality, relationships between client and contractors ranked highest, while those among in-house project teams ranked lowest. Cost growth or cost overrun is significantly correlated with client-contractor relationship, consultant-contractor relationship, client-consultant-contractor relationship and in-house team relationships. No association between procurement method and cost growth was found.

The limitation of generalizability of results due to the sampling method used is acknowledged. One implication of the findings is that in the context of this research, any explanation for cost growth has to be found outside procurement methods.

Findings may assist project participants on variables to consider in anticipating, preventing or managing cost growth in building construction projects, beyond formularization of contracts and structures.

The research has uniquely investigated the association between intangible project team relationships and tangible variable of cost growth.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate relational practices that can improve construction project outcomes in Malaysia.

Based on the literature review, a questionnaire was designed containing 14 relational practices that were identified and grouped under five relational norms. Using a survey questionnaire, data were collected from clients, consultants and contractors in Malaysia’s construction industry. In-depth interviews were conducted to validate the statistical findings.

When contracts are adjustable to address uncertainties, the projects concerned have better cost and quality outcomes. A better schedule outcome is correlated with coordinating and monitoring plans jointly. Open communication and sharing trustworthy project information have been found to produce better client-consultant and consultant-contractor relationships at the end of a project. When parties maintain a social relationship outside of a project, relationships between clients, contractors and consultants also improve significantly.

The findings are not easily generalisable due to the relatively small sample size, low response rate and the data being collected from only three regions in Malaysia.

Clients need to take the lead in adopting relational practices, as these may give rise to warmer relationships and better project outcomes. Showing too much commitment and flexibility may harm the project schedule because of the frequent changes.

This study found that the theory of relational contracting norms applies to Malaysia’s construction industry. The parties do not rely strictly on contract conditions but embrace role integrity, preserve relations and harmony to avoid relational conflict, and achieve their goals through proper means.

Delayed payments have been long standing, pressing issue in construction projects, especially in Government-funded construction projects. The root causes and the consequences of delayed payments must be identified before implementing strategies to mitigate the consequences of such delayed payments. However, these causes and consequences and the parties responsible for managing the delayed payments have not been identified so far. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the management of payment delays in Government-funded construction projects.

The study used a mixed approach comprising four case studies and a questionnaire survey. The empirical data collected from the case studies and the questionnaire survey were analysed using manual content analysis and mean rating, respectively.

The study identified the most significant causes and the most significant consequences of delayed payments that occur in Government-funded construction projects. It also revealed the strategies that clients, consultants, contractors and other parties can adopt to mitigate the adverse consequences of such delayed payments.

This study identified the most significant causes of delayed payments in Government-funded construction projects, the most significant consequences of such delayed payments and the most suitable strategies the clients, consultants and contractors can adopt to mitigate the consequences of such delayed payments. Thus, this study supports streamlining the management of payment delays in Government construction projects and identifies the roles that different parties must play in managing payment delays in Government building projects, which is an under-researched area.