The effects of relationship dynamics on public project success: a case study of contractors–suppliers interactions in Tanzania

Purpose This study aims to explore the relationship between contractor–supplier relationship attributes and the success of public projects. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from a sample of 191 building contractors, which were collected randomly from the list of registered building contractors maintained by the Contractor Registration Board of Tanzania. A multiple regression model was used to test nine hypotheses related to these attributes. Findings The findings indicate that the contractor–supplier relationship accounts for more than 27% of the variance in public project success. The stability of the model was verified and the model fit indices demonstrated an optimal fit. Among the individual predictors, certain attributes were found to significantly affect project success, while others did not. Attributes such as COMPL had a negative impact, whereas attributes such as INTERD had a positive impact. However, attributes such as COMTM, TRUST and ADAPT do not exhibit significant effects on project success. On the other hand, attributes such as CONFL, COLAB and SOCILZ were positively associated with project success, confirming related hypotheses. However, the FORML attribute did not have a significant positive effect. Research limitations/implications This study adopted the industrial marketing and purchasing (IMP) perspective, which terms buyer–supplier relationships as the basis of industrial networks characterised by four structural and five functional features. Five alternative hypotheses were statistically supported, which imply that both structural and functional attributes of buyer–supplier relationships play significant roles in the project’s success. Practical implications The empirical findings imply that procurement practitioners in the buying entity should take into account the buyer–supplier relational features during contractor selection if the buying entity is to ensure project success. Originality/value These findings offer valuable insights into the significance of contractor–supplier relationship attributes in achieving public project success. Recognising and using appropriate attributes can contribute to the overall success rate of public projects.