Managing organizational interfaces in engineering construction projects: addressing fragmentation and boundary issues across multiple interfaces

TLDR

Specialization in construction has led to fragmentation that hampers performance, a problem amplified on large, complex engineering projects where diverse organizations and evolving requirements foster self‑organizing governance. The study investigates boundary‑management theory and practices, examines how they operate on engineering construction projects, and proposes a research agenda for further study of key aspects affecting coordination. The authors review boundary‑management theories, research perspectives, and findings within the context of engineering construction project management. The study finds that while emerging theories offer insights, market dynamics—diverse stakeholder objectives and self‑interested practices—mainly hinder coordination, yet recognizing performance interdependence and employing boundary spanning and boundary objects can promote interaction and collaboration despite individual goals. Keywords: boundary objects, boundary spanning, complexity, fragmentation, interdependence, project governance.

Abstract

Abstract Extensive and increasing specialization in construction has prompted much criticism—that fragmentation leads to poor performance. Such issues are magnified on engineering construction projects due to their size, complexity, financing, duration and execution by many organizations, often from several diverse countries. Theory, research perspectives and findings of boundary management studies are examined in the context of management of engineering construction projects. The objectives are to investigate theory and practices of boundary management; to examine how boundary management operates on engineering construction projects; and to produce a research agenda for studying further, important aspects of boundary management impacting on engineering construction projects. Conclusions are that the emerging theories provide insights but it is the nature of the markets—notably, the diverse objectives of stakeholders and the procedures and their practices in pursuit of self-oriented benefits—which are the main impediments to achieving greater coordination and collaboration. On complex engineering construction projects, many requirements are emergent and project participants co-evolve to yield self-organizing governance as projects progress within an often fixed formal framework. Recognition of performance interdependence among participants is an essential underpinning of commitment and cooperation; development and use of appropriate boundary management through boundary spanning and boundary objects can foster interaction and coordination even with participants' retention of their individual goals. Keywords: Boundary objectsboundary spanningcomplexityfragmentationinterdependenceproject governance