The Role of Communication and Stakeholder Management in Reducing Construction Disputes with Trust as an Intervening Variable in Infrastructure Project

Abstract

Infrastructure development projects are highly complex and involve multiple stakeholders with diverse interests, making construction disputes a recurring challenge. Ineffective communication, poor stakeholder management, and low levels of trust are frequently identified as key contributors to disputes in construction projects. This study aims to analyze the role of communication and stakeholder management in reducing construction disputes, with trust acting as an intervening variable in infrastructure projects. The research adopts a mixed-method approach, combining qualitative expert validation and quantitative analysis. Data were collected through surveys and interviews involving construction practitioners engaged in infrastructure projects in DKI Jakarta. Structural Equation Modeling–Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) was employed to examine the relationships among communication, stakeholder management, trust, and construction dispute reduction. The findings indicate that effective communication has a significant positive effect on trust among project stakeholders. Similarly, stakeholder management practices significantly enhance trust within infrastructure projects. Trust is proven to have a direct and significant impact on reducing construction disputes. Furthermore, trust plays a mediating role in the relationship between communication and dispute reduction, as well as between stakeholder management and dispute reduction. These results highlight the importance of strengthening communication strategies and stakeholder management practices to build trust among project participants. Practically, the study provides valuable insights for project owners, consultants, and contractors to minimize disputes through trust-based management approaches. Academically, this research contributes to the construction project management literature by confirming trust as a critical intervening variable in dispute reduction within infrastructure projects.