Conceptualization of collaboration, cooperation, and coordination in construction projects

The growing complexity of construction projects and involved parties’ dependence on each other’s capabilities have substantially increased the significance of working together. Meanwhile, the emergence of new paradigms in construction project delivery has been a strong enabler for deep collaboration between project participants. Equality, fair share of risk-reward, trust-based working relationships, and open communication are underlying constructs in these new paradigms. Despite of the recognized importance of collaboration, it is still a confusing concept for many people in the academia and practice. This confusion partly comes from the fact that there is no concrete conceptualization of collaboration and its accompanying terms (cooperation and coordination). This issue subsequently causes wrong or loose definitions and applications of the term collaboration. Hence, this study aims to contribute toward theory and practice by developing a concrete conceptualization of the collaboration, cooperation, and coordination in the context of construction based on a literature review. The findings reveal characteristics of collaboration, cooperation, and coordination and explain the forms in which these concepts materialize. The findings, with an ontological perspective, provide novel insights for the research community and industry practitioners regarding the definition and realization of collaboration, cooperation, and coordination.