Establishment of Critical Success Factors for Construction Partnering

Research into the use of partnering in construction has become ubiquitous; however, a framework is needed that can be used to identify critical success factors (CSFs) that contribute to the successful use of partnering in projects. Based on a review of the partnering literature within the management discipline, a partnering framework has been developed to identify the CSFs for construction parties implementing partnering arrangements. The framework highlights the influence of contextual characteristics and management skills on partnering success. The CSFs identified and discussed in the framework are effective communication, conflict resolution, adequate resources, management support, mutual trust, long-term commitment, coordination, and creativity. The degree of success of partnering can be determined by subjective measures (e.g., perceived satisfaction of partners' expectations) and objective measures (e.g., cost variation and rejection of work). A case for initiating partnering is also presented, together with some general guidelines.