Construction Project Manager Skills: a systematic literature review

The construction industry is one of the most important economic activities in the world, and research in this field has identified a positive relationship between project management skills and the success of construction projects. This research project systematically reviewed more than 380 documents in 14 academic journals from the construction and project management fields, searching for construction managers’ skills and competencies, and identifying key skills in educative terms for graduates. The final selection of articles was reviewed in detail and categorised into three themes: education, project manager competencies, and employment. Additionally, a database with 306 competencies, gathered from the reviewed studies, was quantitatively analysed, grouping them into overarching categories. One of the main findings from this systematic literature review is the importance (in quantitative terms) of a project manager’s personal attributes and leadership skills. This systematic literature review explores the current dichotomy the exists within the literature between research about key managerial competencies, and the lack of them within the industry and formal education institutions. Future research will explore how to bridge the gap between academic programs and industry needs