Title: Routine project scope management in small construction enterprises

Authors: Vincenzo Corvello; Amy Javernick-Will; Anna Maria La Ratta

Addresses: Department of Mechanical, Energy and Management Engineering, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci 41C, 87036, Rende (CS), Italy ' Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering, University of Colorado at Boulder, 1111 Engineering Drive, ECOT 513, 428 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309-0428, USA ' Department of Mechanical, Energy and Management Engineering, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci 41C, 87036, Rende (CS), Italy

Abstract: The paper's purpose is to study whether small and medium construction enterprises (SMCEs), which routinely plan, monitor and control project scope, perform significantly better than SMCEs which have not developed project scope management (PSM) routines. A questionnaire-based survey was developed and distributed to SMCEs. Responses were analysed using regression analysis. The relation between routine PSM processes and project performance is statistically significant, that is, systematic use of PSM processes has been found to significantly and positively impact SMCEs' performance. This study suggests that managers of SMCEs should implement systematic PSM systems in their organisations to improve performance. This is one of the few papers focusing on PSM in SMCEs. Given the critical role of SMCEs in this industry, results are particularly relevant.

Keywords: small and medium-sized enterprises; construction SMEs; SMCEs; construction industry; project scope management; PSM; project performance; project management; organisational routines.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPOM.2017.083109

International Journal of Project Organisation and Management, 2017 Vol.9 No.1, pp.18 - 30

Received: 26 Sep 2014
Accepted: 14 Jul 2015
Published online: 21 Mar 2017 *

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