Impact of Communication on Capital Project Performance: A Mediated Moderation Model

Abstract

Many studies demonstrate the importance of communication in project performance. However, little is known about how project communication exerts its effects on the outcomes of capital projects that have a large impact on environmental and economic sustainability. Using a longitudinal survey and bootstrap-based structural-equation modeling, this study uncovers how project competencies and team innovative behavior affect the relationship between project communication and capital project performance. This study collects repeated measures from project managers at two time points: immediately after the initiation and planning stages end and immediately after project completion. Excluding responses with missing data, this study’s sample includes 108 capital projects. This study finds that project technical and managerial competencies completely mediate the relationship between project communication and project performance. This study also finds that team innovative behavior affects project performance through the mediating effect of project technical competence. Team innovative behavior also moderates the relationship between project technical competence and project performance. Project communication has the largest effect on project performance despite having the smallest direct effect; project managerial competence possesses the next-largest effect on project performance despite having the largest direct effect. This study discusses the managerial and research implications.

Knowledge management enablers and barriers: exploring the moderating effect of communication barriers

“…Specifically, this study advances the understanding of the moderating effect that CB plays in the relationship between KSBs and KM. Previous studies (Chen, 2021; Chi et al. , 2021; Kwofie et al.…”

“…Specifically, this study advances the understanding of the moderating effect that CB plays in the relationship between KSBs and KM. Previous studies (Chen, 2021;Chi et al, 2021;Kwofie et al, 2021;Mueller, 2012) explores the positive influence of communication on knowledge sharing; however, as far as we know there is a lack of studies exploring the CBs moderating role. This study support that, despite the direct effect of CBs in KM are not significant, the moderating role played in the relationship between KSB and CB is significant and negative, as expected.…”

“…Communicative acts may contain large or small amounts of knowledge, and, moreover, may bear knowledge that is not of importance for the organization (Powell and van den Heever, 2016). Communication may have a positive and moderating influence on KM between project teams (Chen, 2021;Chi et al, 2021;Kwofie et al, 2021;Mueller, 2012). Many models of knowledge transfer encompass communication (Ko et al, 2005).…”

Project Technological Capacity and Project Outcomes: The Moderating Role of Team Creativity

“…In other words, the positive relationship between project technological capacity and project performance turns stronger when team creativity weakens. One possible explanation is that project technological capacity and team creativity do not have a linear relationship; rather it is curvilinear such as an inverted u-shaped relationship (Chen, 2021).…”

“…In other words, we argue that project technological capacity has a stronger positive impact on project performance when team creativity is stronger. Moreover, the importance of creativity for organizational competitiveness and efficiency is widely recognized, and creative behavior has become an important corporate asset in business environments characterized by ever-increasing competition (Chen, 2021;Ng & Lucianetti, 2016).For example, Romero and Martínez-Román (2012) state the important effects of employee creative behavior in the early stages of small business conception and development on their following economic outcomes. They showed that employee education and training are key determinants of creativity.…”