Understanding Stakeholder Engagement in Large-Scale Engineering Projects: A Qualitative Study
Keywords:
stakeholder engagement, large-scale engineering projects, qualitative research, project management, Hungary, stakeholder management, infrastructure projectsAbstract
This study aimed to explore how professionals involved in large-scale engineering projects understand, organize, and sustain stakeholder engagement across complex project environments in Hungary. A qualitative research design was adopted to obtain an in-depth understanding of stakeholder engagement practices from the perspectives of professionals directly involved in large-scale engineering projects. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 24 participants from Hungary, including project managers, engineering leads, procurement specialists, public-sector representatives, environmental and social impact experts, and community liaison officers. Participants were selected through purposive sampling to ensure variation in role, sector, and professional experience. Interviews continued until theoretical saturation was reached, with no substantially new codes emerging after the twenty-first interview and three additional interviews conducted to confirm saturation. Interviews were audio-recorded with consent, transcribed verbatim, anonymized, and analyzed using thematic analysis. NVivo software was used to organize transcripts, support systematic coding, compare categories, and develop higher-order themes. The analysis generated four main categories: dynamic stakeholder identification and prioritization, communication as a mechanism of alignment, trust and legitimacy in contested project environments, and institutional-contractual constraints on engagement. Participants described stakeholder engagement as a continuous and adaptive process rather than a fixed procedural requirement. Effective engagement depended on early mapping of formal and informal actors, transparent communication, responsiveness to local concerns, and the ability to negotiate competing expectations among government bodies, contractors, communities, consultants, and end users. However, fragmented governance, political pressure, rigid contractual arrangements, and delayed communication often reduced the quality of engagement. Stakeholder engagement in large-scale engineering projects is best understood as a relational, political, and iterative process embedded in technical, institutional, and social complexity. The findings suggest that successful engagement requires more than compliance-based consultation; it requires continuous stakeholder intelligence, credible communication, trust-building, and flexible governance mechanisms that allow project teams to respond to emerging concerns throughout the project life cycle.
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