Exploring Project Teams’ Collaborative Behaviours in Hong Kong’s Relational Contracting Projects

Relational Contracting in Hong Kong is used as a key approach for delivering successful outcomes. However, the reality of the practice differs significantly. Projects still face significant delays and cost overruns. In this, researchers suggest focussing on attitudes and behaviours of project teams, which
would deliver better results.

This study aims to explore project teams’ attitudes and collaborative behaviour in Hong Kong’s relational contracting projects. A qualitative approach was employed to explore attitudes and behaviour using interviews guided by the theory of planned behaviour. Interview participants included ten mid-senior-level professionals with active involvement in Hong Kong relational contracting projects. Later, interview data was analysed using thematic analysis procedures.

Results suggest that to enable collaboration among project teams in Hong Kong relational contracting, project teams may develop relational attitudes by ensuring senior management commitment to the project and relational norms. Exhibit collaborative intentions for integrating project team, and promote collaborative behaviour through teamwork, affective trust and extra-role behaviour. Collaborative behaviour developed through the proposed framework in the study would smoothen relationships and improve the chances of project success.