Introducing Contextual-Theoretical Model of Project Performance based on Trust in the Relationship Between Client and Contractor

Considering the problem of construction projects performance weaknesses, the aim of this study is to provide a contextual-theoretical model of project performance based on trust in the client and contractor relationship that simultaneously describes the characteristics of trust, the factors affecting it and its outcomes in achieving project performance.

This study was a developmental applied research and has been conducted through a qualitative method. On this basis, using the grounded theory strategy, data from the target community of this research, which included informants of clients and contractors of Tehran urban construction projects, were collected and analyzed.

Based on textual analysis of the interviews, the six derived categories of trust characteristics were: Other party’s ability; Integrity; Benevolence; Having the necessary resources of cooperation; Stability and awareness. Meanwhile, the nine derived categories of factors affecting trust were: Project delivery method quality; Project bid document quality; Project contract quality; Project communication system quality; Other party’s records reliability; Other party’s certificates and credentials reliability; Emotional bond depth with other Party; Close environmental factors performance; and Distant environmental factors performance. Finally, the single derived category of the outcomes of trust in achieving an acceptable performance in a project is the quality of the relationship between a client and a contractor during projectimplementation.

The contextual-theoretical model of this study has been extracted by establishing links between derived categories which can contribute to project management literature via generating an understanding of the trust process in the context of urban construction projects, and how it is influenced and it affects the project performance.