The interplay between cultural intelligence and project governance: case of United Arab Emirates complex construction projects

This study aimed to examine the interplay between cultural intelligence and project governance within the context of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) complex construction projects. From the reviewed literature, we established a lack of studies that have examined how project governance and cultural intelligence can influence the success of complex construction projects, specifically within the context of the UAE. A survey was conducted among 404 senior construction practitioners working in the UAE construction sector. The analysis approach followed the inclusion of regression and correlation analysis. Validity and reliability were attained by assessing the plausibility of the existing knowledge on project governance and cultural intelligence. The study found that project governance and cultural intelligence contribute significantly to successfully delivering complex construction projects. As established in this study, project governance and cultural intelligence need to be prioritised by project leaders to have more lasting effect on the delivery of complex construction projects in the UAE.