Resolving stakeholder misperceptions in green residential building projects: an integrated stakeholder salience and hypergame theory approach

Purpose Stakeholders’ misperceptions of one another are common in green residential building projects, stemming from differing views on each other’s attributes. These misperceptions hinder effective engagement and can ultimately impair operational performance. Despite its significance, construction management literature is relatively silent on resolving these misperceptions. This paper aims to fill this important research gap. Design/methodology/approach This paper applies stakeholder salience theory and hypergame theory, using interviews with 33 stakeholders selected through purposeful sampling to capture diverse perspectives. Data were analyzed with the three-stage thematic analysis, with salience theory mapping influence and hypergame modeling stakeholder misperceptions and resolution strategies. Findings Using stakeholder salience theory as a framework, we identify three dimensions within each of the three attributes of stakeholders: power, legitimacy and urgency, resulting in a total of nine dimensions representing stakeholder attributes. The results of hypergame analysis reveal gaps between how stakeholders perceive one another and their actual salience. Practical implications This research provides construction managers with a structured tool to identify and correct stakeholder misperceptions early, reducing conflict and enhancing collaboration in green residential projects. It also promotes transparency and shared decision-making, strengthening public trust and embedding sustainability as a standard practice in the construction sector. Originality/value This research is one of the first to apply hypergame theory to green residential projects while identifying multiple dimensions of stakeholder power, legitimacy and urgency, thereby advancing theoretical understanding of stakeholder salience and contributing to stakeholder salience theory with a multidimensional perspective.