Title: Exploring the major causes of PPP project failures - a survey

Authors: Adnan Saif AlSaaidi; Abdullahi Ahmed Umar; Luisito B. Layon; Atef Badr

Addresses: Projects Department, Office of The Chief of Staff Sultan Armed Forces (COSSAF), Muscat, Sultanate of Oman ' Military Technological College, Al Matar St, Muscat 111, Sultanate of Oman ' Military Technological College, Al Matar St, Muscat 111, Sultanate of Oman ' Military Technological College, Al Matar St, Muscat 111, Sultanate of Oman

Abstract: Over the last decade, there has been a growing incidence of public-private partnerships (PPPs) project failures leading to a wave of 'remunicipalisations' around the globe. Past studies on the subject of PPP failures have been mainly case studies, critical reviews and government reports. The views of PPP practitioners on causes of PPP failures has rarely been sought, a gap which this study seeks to fill. A survey questionnaire was used to collect data from PPP practitioners across public/private sectors. The results of the study found, using exploratory factor analysis and Monte Carlo parallel analysis, that the major causes of PPP failures include poor regulation, macroeconomic crisis, contractor bankruptcy, poor public sector skills and public opposition. The findings will help governments design more sustainable PPP contracts in order to prevent financial losses to stakeholders including governments, private sector, investors and taxpayers, resulting from cancelled PPP projects.

Keywords: PPP failures; infrastructure regulation; skills; public sector; private sector.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPM.2023.131179

International Journal of Procurement Management, 2023 Vol.17 No.3, pp.300 - 318

Received: 17 Aug 2021
Accepted: 01 Nov 2021

Published online: 01 Jun 2023 *

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