From planning to performance: how upstream capabilities influence schedule performance via field execution and institutional flow in public projects

Public construction projects in emerging economies experience severe schedule underperformance. However, traditional delay studies rely on static factor lists that overlook the complex institutional frictions inherent in project delivery. This study proposes a structural model that examines the hypothesized pathways linking upstream capabilities, including planning, design and procurement, with field execution management and institutional flow efficiency. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was applied using cross-sectional survey data from 137 respondents, along with bootstrap tests, to validate 10 hypotheses regarding the project’s activity phases. The results reveal that upstream capabilities do not act in isolation; rather, their impact on schedule adherence (R2 = 0.58) is mediated by field execution management; the positive statistical association between field execution and institutional flow is interpreted, under an “operational momentum” lens, as consistent with active site progress being linked to greater institutional-system efficiency. Theoretically, construction capacity is associated with reduced institutional friction; these findings suggest that policymakers may consider shifting from static delay mitigation to jointly strengthening proactive field execution and enhancing institutional flow efficiency to drive schedule performance.