From Control to Adaptation: Mapping Theoretical Developments of Project Governance Research

The prevalent view of project governance is that it involves structures, principles, and processes that control project development and steer it toward desirable goals. However, the concept is not static, and this article highlights how its theoretical underpinnings have evolved over recent decades. A systematic review of 636 research articles reveals that almost 54% of these works are explicitly grounded in specific theoretical frameworks. We chart the trajectory and consolidation of the theories employed in these articles. Our analysis documents how a cohesive research stream of project governance emerged from a set of theoretically fragmented case studies in the early 2000s by gradually coalescing around a few strongly interconnected streams of studies employing agency theory and stakeholder theory together with transaction cost and institutional theoretical lenses. We highlight five approaches in project governance literature on a spectrum from traditional, theory-based approaches to adaptive, practice-based perspectives. We observe growth in applications of complexity, network, game, leadership, organizational, and social exchange theories. Building on the review, we propose that currently emerging technologies with novel applications to project governance necessitate more research addressing their ethical risks and their implications for project governance decentralization and anticipatory governance. Finally, we call for project governance research to further expand beyond traditionally studied industries to better tackle global challenges and support systemic sustainability transitions.