Identifying the Factors Hindering Stakeholder Management in Construction with Structural Equation Modeling

Effective stakeholder management is essential in construction projects, but numerous context-specific challenges often hinder its implementation. This study investigates the factors that limit stakeholder management in Türkiye’s construction industry through a structured, multi-stage analytical approach. A systematic literature review first identified 69 stakeholder management challenges (SMCs). A questionnaire administered to 164 construction professionals was then analyzed using the normalized mean value (NMV) approach, which identified 53 critical challenges (CCs). To reduce the dimensionality of the 53 CCs, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted, resulting in four overarching factors: (1) weak planning, coordination, and implementation deficiencies; (2) institutional and operational weaknesses; (3) communication problems; and (4) legal regulations, bureaucratic barriers, and ethical issues. Finally, structural equation modeling (SEM) was applied to highlight the effect sizes of these factors in stakeholder management, rather than to perform predictive modeling. The results show that institutional and operational weaknesses and communication problems exert the strongest negative influences. By clearly linking the 53 CCs with four higher-level factors, this study provides a coherent analytical structure and a robust methodological basis for understanding the barriers to effective stakeholder management. The findings offer actionable insights for construction practitioners and policymakers seeking to enhance coordination, communication, and governance mechanisms in complex project environments.