The dynamics of changes in PPP projects – a meta-case analysis approach

Changes in public-private partnership (PPP) projects are inevitable and often lead to project failure, hence, the management of changes in PPP projects are more challenging than with traditional projects. The complex nature of changes in PPP projects, however, lacks systematic investigation and a quantitative approach in current literature. To fill this gap, this study considers the development process of major changes in PPP projects from a whole-life cycle perspective. The findings reveal significant relationships between causes and negative change results, as well as the enlarged interactive effects of certain causes. Most of the negative changes occur at the operational stage and vary across different types of project and regions, but the pre-contract stage is the most critical stage to prevent future negative changes. Hence, more proactive change management strategies are suggested for the government decision makers and project managers. This study contributes to the body of knowledge in PPP literature by providing a meta-case analysis approach, which can improve the accuracy of case selection and facilitate statistical analysis. The findings can help the researchers and practitioners to better understand the nature of changes and manage them in a more efficient way.