The effects of scope creep on project success in construction project management: mediating role of best practices for preventing scope creep

Scope creep hurts project management, resulting in unplanned changes that lead to delays in the projects. The present study investigates the impact of strategic best practices that can act as mitigants to scope creep performance because of direct and moderating influences. Data from 409 respondents was obtained through a survey questionnaire. SPSS-AMOS software was used to conduct SEM to evaluate the constructs’ inter-relationships. Some of the significant stages identified are poor scope management and unclear schedules or specifications. The results show that scope creep negatively influences project performance with a path coefficient of −1.076 and a critical ratio of −11.432. Conversely, the implementation of strategic best practices contributed considerably to better project performance with a root coefficient of 0.620 and a crucial ratio of 19.801. The best practices partially reduced the negative influence of scope creep, as shown by the path coefficient of 0.196. The study contributes to the literature on project management by quantifying the degree to which strategic best practices can soften the adverse effects of scope creep. It emphasizes effective management strategies that protect project outcomes against changes in scope, thus ensuring resilience and success in dynamic project environments.