Change management capability maturity model for contractors in the Kuwaiti construction industry

Abstract

This research aims to improve the implementation of project change management by contractors to secure better outcomes in construction projects. An empirically designed and tested change management capability maturity model was developed to be used as an infrastructure for boosting the change management capabilities for contractors in Kuwait. This research commenced with an extensive literature review to understand project changes and the implementation of project change management by contractors. This literature review was followed by semi-structured interviews with contractors to allow for a deeper understanding of the success criteria of change management. To validate this criteria, a quantitative questionnaire survey took place and indicated 52 change management success criteria from the perspective of contractors in Kuwait. These success criterions (represented by practices and tools) were grouped using the principal component analysis (PCA) technique and assigned weights within their designated groups using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Delphi technique to indicate their relevant significance within a successful change management process. As a result, the Change Management Capability Maturity Model (CMCMM) was constructed to evaluate the contractor’s capability to conduct a prosperous change management process according to the previously concluded success criteria. The model was reviewed by domain experts and by conducting several case studies to substantiate its fitness for purpose and practicality. The case studies also showed that CMCMM was effective in indicating the change management process gaps and successfully outlined the pathway of process improvement and Institutionalisation. The research contributes to the body of knowledge related to construction management and capability maturity models in addition to having several practical implications. This contribution is represented by the development of an empirically based capability maturity model that uses a validated and weighted criteria within each stage of project change management process to evaluate the contractor’s ability to conduct project change management process. The research also provides a step-by-step user guide to enable the proper usage of CMCMM and enhance the model’s degree of usability by new users in the organisation.