Building success: A systematic review of the importance of project management in construction

The construction industry, a vital driver of global infrastructure, is inherently complex, involving intricate coordination of resources, stakeholders, and timelines amidst dynamic challenges. Project management serves as the backbone of successful construction projects, ensuring alignment with the critical constraints of time, cost, and quality while fostering innovation and sustainability. This systematic review synthesizes recent literature to examine the multifaceted role of project management in construction, exploring its core components, methodologies, challenges, and transformative impacts. By analyzing 92 peer-reviewed studies, industry reports, and case studies from 2010 to 2025, this review identifies key themes, gaps, and opportunities for advancing project management practices. Findings underscore the necessity of robust planning, adaptive methodologies, and technology integration to navigate the industry's complexities, with implications for practitioners, policymakers, and researchers aiming to enhance construction outcomes.