Paper short abstract:

This systematic review contributes to the evolving discourse on sustainability management in development projects by addressing the gap in studies to advance theory and practice to meet the distinct needs of international development project management practices.

Paper long abstract:

International development projects, aimed at improving socio-economic conditions for the world’s poorest face a high failure rate compared to projects in other sectors. Non-standardised and inconsistent project management approaches, coupled with challenges in the operating environment, exacerbate this issue.

This study aims to identify key areas of project management in development industry to explore main themes or drivers. By examining the delivery context and project management practices, it seeks to identify critical areas to enhance their success rates.

Through a systematic literature review the research identified themes and focus areas for developing and improving both theory and practice, specifically for projects funded as ‘aid’ through international development cooperation mechanisms.

The study highlighted key factors influencing project outcomes including the challenges of managing in complex multi-stakeholder environments, competencies of project leaders, the importance of a robust project design phase for collective-action efforts and overall risk management and governance. Sustainability emerged as a significant theme, emphasizing the growing need to align project management practices with sustainable development.

The findings underscore the need for management practices that can offer more relevant guidance than the main standards currently do. While the evolving field of development projects acknowledges the benefits of using international standards, it also highlights their limitations in addressing the unique challenges of global and complex development projects.

There is increasing recognition of the need to address systemic challenges to advance professional practice in the sector, improve performance and align development project management with contemporary sustainability considerations.