A systematic review of the knowledge domain of institutional theory in construction project management

Purpose The large scale of construction projects and the coexistence of multiple logics in the construction field are sparking interest in applying an institutional perspective to investigate managerial issues in construction projects. However, only a few conceptual papers have been published thus far, and a literature review is needed to identify how that knowledge domain has developed. Based on the results of bibliometric analysis and content analysis, this study proposes potential future avenues for institutional theory in construction project management (ITCPM) studies. Design/methodology/approach This paper reports a bibliographic coupling analysis and a co-citation analysis conducted to identify existing research trajectories and determine the primary features of the current ITCPM literature. In addition, this paper employed a content analysis, identified the evolutionary stages of ITCPM knowledge over time and built a framework of existing research. Findings This paper first identified that the existing ITCPM studies evolve through three stages, and that the intellectual core of ITCPM studies can be categorized into five clusters. In addition, this paper proposes that future research can be extended from two existing streams: the institutional responses of project actors and the institutional outcomes of construction projects. This paper proposes several major questions that should be addressed by project management scholars working in both streams in order to develop an understanding of construction projects from an institutional perspective. Originality/value This is the first literature review of the existing body of knowledge based on a joining of institutional theory and construction project management literature. It uncovers knowledge gaps in contemporary research, notably a lack of broader consideration of how project actors respond to institutional environments and of the institutional outcomes of project management.