Moderating Role of Sustainable Leadership on the Relationship Between Sustainable Project Management and Success: An Empirical Test in Public Sector Development Program

Sustainable project management (SPM) is pivotal for enhancing sustainable project success (SPS) and transforming organizations into sustainable practices. Many prior studies empirically found that SPM is positively associated with SPS. This association can be further enhanced through sustainable leadership. However, the role of sustainable leadership as a moderator on the association between SPM and SPS has not been fully grabbed in the prior studies, especially the public sector development program (PSDP) in Pakistan remained unexplored. The study aimed to investigate the moderating role of sustainable leadership on the association between SPM and SPS in the PSDP projects in Pakistan. Using a quantitative survey-based design and the data from 285 completed PSDP projects collected through a single informant strategy, the hypothesized relationships were tested with the PLS-SEM-based hierarchical component modeling approach. The results revealed that SPM is positively associated with SPS and sustainable leadership moderates the association between SPM and SPS in this context. The study provides important insights into the emerging trend of SPM and SPS and evocatively contributes to the existing literature. The study also contributes to the practice and assists project managers, decision-makers, and policy-makers in planning and developing PSDP projects more effectively to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs). The findings are also beneficial for other countries operating in similar circumstances.