Title: Managing critical factors and criteria success in projects: a systematic literature review

Authors: Lincoln Sposito; Luciano Ferreira da Silva

Addresses: Postgraduate Program in Project Management – PPGP, Nove de Julho University (UNINOVE), Campus Vergueiro - Rua Vergueiro, 235/249, Liberdade – São Paulo/SP, Brazil ' Postgraduate Program in Project Management – PPGP, Nove de Julho University (UNINOVE), Campus Vergueiro - Rua Vergueiro, 235/249, Liberdade – São Paulo/SP, Brazil

Abstract: The project's success has been discussed and evaluated for a long time, however, despite these efforts there is still no consensus regarding its definition. In this context, this article aims to identify how critical factors and success criteria can be managed within different project contexts. To this end, a qualitative approach was adopted based on a systematic literature review. The databases used were Web of Science and Scopus. After collecting and processing data, 135 articles were considered to carry out for a deep analysis. As a cut-off criterion, only quantitative studies were considered, published in specialised project management journals, which used a project success scale. From this perspective, it was possible to group factors and criteria that influence success in projects for different organisations. As a main result, this article classifies the criteria and success factors identified by context and type of project. As a contribution, the findings allow a better understanding of how to improve success in a project, taking account the context.

Keywords: project success; success criteria; critical success factors; project context.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPOM.2025.146726

International Journal of Project Organisation and Management, 2025 Vol.17 No.2, pp.183 - 210

Received: 21 Jan 2024
Accepted: 29 Jun 2024
Published online: 16 Jun 2025 *

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