Coercive Pressures and Sustainable Project Management in Construction: A PLS Approach

Project management is experiencing a significant transformation in how it incorporates sustainability goals into its core processes. A key focus for researchers and practitioners is understanding the factors that facilitate the comprehensive integration of sustainability criteria in construction projects. Given the substantial environmental and social impacts of construction activities, there is an increasing demand to prioritize sustainability considerations in the management of these projects. This study investigates the roles of imposition-based coercion (IMPC), inducement-based coercion (INDC), and green transformational leadership (GTFL) as essential determinants for implementing sustainable project management (SPM) in construction projects. Data were gathered from large construction companies in Pakistan and examined using the PLS-SEM technique. The results show that both IMPC and INDC have a notable positive impact on SPM. Additionally, the results show that GTFL positively moderates these relationships, enabling construction firms to shift from a reactive to a proactive approach in applying sustainability criteria to their projects. These research findings provide valuable insights into the factors that influence the implementation of SPM in developing countries.