Una Obiose Kriston Nwajei

• Nwajei, Una Obiose Kriston; Bølviken, Trond & Hellström, Magnus Mikael (2025). PARADOXES IN INTEGRATED PROJECT DELIVERY. Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction. ISSN 2309-0979. 33, p. 25–36. doi: 10.24928/2025/0188. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) is a delivery model that has attracted increasing interest in both academia and industry over the past decade or so. It is based on enforced collaboration through a multi-party agreement, sharing risks and opportunities, common decision-making, co-location, and other means. There are fundamental paradoxes embedded in any project delivery model, and the ones related to IPD seem to be underexplored. Paradoxes are contradictory yet interrelated elements that exist simultaneously and persist over time. Because there is no unambiguous right or wrong solution to a paradoxical problem, it has to be resolved by balancing the considerations in question. This implies that the solution will always be contextual and that it can always be disputed. This empirically inspired conceptual paper identifies nine paradoxes grouped into four paradox themes that are central to IPD: relational dynamics, misaligned expectations, strategic dilemmas, and project implementation challenges. Through the examination of these paradoxes, we discuss and identify the inherent challenges in the adoption of IPD.

• Nwajei, Una Obiose Kriston; Bølviken, Trond & Hellström, Magnus Mikael (2025). Integrated Project Delivery in Norway – the Clients’ Perspective on Challenges. Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction. ISSN 2309-0979. 33, p. 1243–1254. doi: 10.24928/2025/0154. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The purpose of the paper is to identify and understand the clients’ motives for choosing Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) as a Project Delivery Model (PDM) and their experiences of the challenges in adopting it in Norway. This is an overlooked perspective as most studies focus on general benefits and barriers to IPD. The paper draws upon interviews with client representatives. The study reveals six recurring challenges across the projects: diverse motivations for choosing IPD, the necessity of enthusiasts to drive adoption, the challenge of convincing decision-makers that the public procurement regulations are not a showstopper, that agreeing on target prices can be hard and potentially lead to project collapse and that decision-making within the IPD framework can be challenging. The findings show that the rationale for adopting IPD is based on a complex interplay of factors. We conclude by arguing that while enthusiasm is a powerful catalyst for IPD adoption, it must be balanced with rational decision-making and a clear understanding of project-specific circumstances.

• Bølviken, Trond; Nwajei, Una Obiose Kriston & Hellström, Magnus Mikael (2023). Procurement of Collaborative Project Teams – a Literature Study. In Rybkowski, Zofia; Liu, Min & Sarhan, Saad (Ed.), Proceedings of the 31st Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC31). The International Group for Lean Construction. ISSN 9788269249941. p. 353–364. doi: 10.24928/2023/0237. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  In construction the procurement phase is the connection between the definition phase and execution. Thereby it establishes crucial preconditions for success (or failure) in execution by establishing a shift from competition to collaboration as the fundamental logic in the relationship between customer and supplier. The paradox of the procurement of projects in general and collaborative projects in particular is its aim of establishing collaboration through means of competition. The paper presents a literature study of methods used in the client’s procurement of teams in collaborative project delivery models such as Integrated Project Delivery (IPD), Alliancing and others. Five procurement methods are identified: Direct Negotiations (DN), Team-Based Procurement (TBP), dual Target Outturn Cost (dTUC), Competitive Dialogue (CD) and Best Value Procurement (BVP). Three methods for comparing alternatives are also identified: Weight Rating Calculating (WRC), Best Value Selection (BVS) and Choosing by Advantage (CBA). The paper discusses public procurement, procuring the team in one or several steps, early or late setting of targets related to Target Value Design (TVD), the use of qualitative and quantitative evaluation, the need to adjust the procurement method, and the need for information and training. The possibility of procurement based on design solution is also presented.

• Nwajei, Una Obiose Kriston; Bølviken, Trond & Hellström, Magnus Mikael (2022). Overcoming the principal-agent problem: The need for alignment of tools and methods in collaborative project delivery. International Journal of Project Management. ISSN 0263-7863. 40(7), p. 750–762. doi: 10.1016/j.ijproman.2022.08.003. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Despite the focus on collaborative project delivery models (CPDMs) in the construction industry, it remains unclear how it promises bases for delivering better value for money than many traditional models. In view of the importance of knowledge about CPDM delivery, this study aims to explore governance mechanisms that underline the relationship between principal and agent and how this relationship is impacted by the alignment of organisational tools and methods. We argue that there is an interrelationship between agency theory and stewardship theory that provides an important theoretical foundation for CPDMs; additionally, alignment of organisational tools and methods can contribute to overcoming the principal-agent problem in projects if aligned with the functions in CDPMs. An empirical analysis of an exploratory case study supports these assumptions and highlights how CPDM’s success can occur through removing and reducing the fundamental principal-agent problem and illustrates the performance and dangers of CPDM tools. Our findings deepen the theoretical understanding of CPDM delivery and provide new insights into the strategic fit in CPDMs alignment in projects.

• Nwajei, Una Obiose Kriston (2021). How relational contract theory influence management strategies and project outcomes: a systematic literature review. Construction Management and Economics. ISSN 0144-6193. 39(5), p. 432–457. doi: 10.1080/01446193.2021.1913285. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Despite growing interest in Relational Contracting (RC), few studies have comprehensively investigated the qualities required for a successful RC project. Macneil’s ten norms are principles of behaviour in contracts based on the application of relational contract theory and play an essential role in the formation and agreement of parties and their commitment to means and objectives. In contributing a missing dimension to the RC approach in construction, the purpose of this research is to conduct a systematic review of studies of relational contracting to answer the question: In what ways can the influence of RC theory be observed in the management strategies and outcomes of relational projects? Macneil's norms are used to provide a link between strategies and outcomes as a way of understanding RC and its influence on collaboration between the project actors in determining project outcomes. The results provide new insights with a view of consolidating extant literature and contributing through mapping practice back to theory. Findings show that the norms are evident in projects but with varied application and realisation in practice. This paper offers managerial implications and future research directions to investigate and capture the part played by the norms as mechanisms in construction projects.

• Kalsaas, Bo Terje; Nwajei, Una Obiose Kriston & Mossum, Christine (2020). A critical perspective on Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) applied in a Norwegian public hospital project. MATEC Web of Conferences. 312(2020). doi: 10.1051/matecconf/202031207001. Full text in Research Archive
• Nwajei, Una Obiose Kriston & Kalsaas, Bo Terje (2020). Comparative analysis of mega road construction projects in term of innovation, The 10th International Conference on Engineering, Project, and Production Management. Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering. ISSN 9789811519109. p. 151–163. Full text in Research Archive

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• Kalsaas, Bo Terje & Nwajei, Una Obiose Kriston (2019). Funn fra Tønsbergprosjektet (IPD-kontrakt i gjennomføringsfasen, SiV). Full text in Research Archive
• Nwajei, Una Obiose Kriston & Kalsaas, Bo Terje (2019). Comparative Analysis of Mega Road Construction Projects in Term of Innovation. Full text in Research Archive
• Kalsaas, Bo Terje & Nwajei, Una Obiose Kriston (2019). Er det behov for nye gjennomføringsmodeller i bygg og anlegg? Bygg.no. Full text in Research Archive
• Kalsaas, Bo Terje & Nwajei, Una Obiose Kriston (2018). A critical perspective on Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) applied in a Norwegian public hospital project. Full text in Research Archive
• Nwajei, Una Obiose Kriston; Kalsaas, Bo Terje & Bydall, Christine (2018). Integrated project delivery (IPD) in Norwegian construction projects : Sharing of risk and opportunities aiming at better cooperation and project achievement. Universitetet i Agder. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  In the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry projects are often temporary in nature and are often characterised as PBO project-based organisations. Each project chooses a number of strategies which makes up a project development model. Traditionally models have focused on transactional contracting between actors in the value chain which opens up the way, for sub-optimisation and risk aversion as the common challenges. In such circumstances, each actor has a different perception of the aim and the success of the project, and so try to find ways to take the lowest risk and gain the most profit coupled with optimising their own interests. Based on the highlighted problem the study aims to investigate of the research is to examine Integrated project delivery (IPD) in Norwegian construction projects. Sharing of risk and opportunities aiming at better collaboration and project achievement. The thesis aims at testing the differences between IPD and alternative implementation models. Hence this thesis attempts to answer the following propositions: • Proposition one states that IPD provides less scope for sub-optimisation and opportunistic behaviour between companies in the value chain. • Proposition two states that IPD provides better conditions for unified solutions (swapping) than traditional contracts. • Proposition three states that IPD safeguards quality and customer value in a better way than alternative implementation models while maintaining constructability. • Proposition four states that IPD, in combination with TVD, provides better framework conditions for continuous improvement and innovation compared to a Design Build model. Furthermore, this case study answers the propositions by collecting data composed mainly of the documents, survey and interviews which were analysed using the framework method. Based on analysed content the findings show that IPD provides helps to alleviate the characteristic problems in the AEC industry and how this have changed using IPD. These problems come from a lack of quality, lack of collaboration, opportunism, lack of customer value and a lack of innovation. By using a critical realist perspective, one can identify the influencing mechanisms.

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