UCL Discovery
UCL home » Library Services » Electronic resources » UCL Discovery

Client management in the project domain: towards conceptual integration using cross-disciplinary research

Smyth, Hedley; Klakegg, Ole Jonny; Knotten, Vegard; (2025) Client management in the project domain: towards conceptual integration using cross-disciplinary research. International Journal of Project Management , 43 (4) , Article 102723. 10.1016/j.ijproman.2025.102723. Green open access

[thumbnail of Smyth_1-s2.0-S0263786325000493-main.pdf]
Preview
Text
Smyth_1-s2.0-S0263786325000493-main.pdf

Download (1MB) | Preview

Abstract

Client management by the delivery organisation is under-researched across the project domain. Reviewing the literature positions client management (CM) as an important topic for improving performance. Three dominant theoretical strands are identified. One strand is based in the disciplines of marketing and organisational behaviour. It is largely located in the delivery firm. The second strand primarily locates CM as part of project marketing. This strand is rooted in operational management and has become positioned tactically as a subset of project management largely at the front-end. A lesser third strand views CM from the project management delivery perspective. The analysis demonstrates the theory-driven lenses employed by the different research strands produce a fragmented picture that limits current understanding. Hence there is a need for conceptual integration. The analysis argues for cross-disciplinary research to induce integration, commencing with the current intersections to create a strategic platform for generating new knowledge.

Type: Article
Title: Client management in the project domain: towards conceptual integration using cross-disciplinary research
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijproman.2025.102723
Publisher version: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijproman.2025.102723
Language: English
Additional information: Crown Copyright © 2025 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Thisis an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Keywords: Capabilities; Client management; Firm-centric marketing; Performance improvement; Project front-end; Project marketing
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of the Built Environment
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10210112
Downloads since deposit
8Downloads
Download activity - last month
Download activity - last 12 months
Downloads by country - last 12 months

Archive Staff Only

View Item View Item