Customer Participation and Project Performance: A Moderated-Mediation Examination

This article proposes a theoretical model to understanding how and why customer participation can promote project performance. The research model was empirically examined by collecting data from 245 software development projects. The research found that knowledge integration mediates the positive relationship between customer participation and project performance. Additionally, project complexity strengthens the main effect of customer participation and an indirect effect of knowledge integration was found. Theoretical and managerial implications for project management and research limitations are also discussed.