Title: The inclusion of sustainability in construction projects and its relation to project success: a qualitative study of the relationship between sustainability and projects. Level: Student thesis, final assignment for Bachelor Degree in Business Administration  Author: Elin Eriksson and Josefine Jähle Supervisor: Emilia Kvarnström Date: 2021 - June  Aim: Previous research draws attention to the negative connection between integrating sustainability into projects with a focus on long-term sustainability goals as opposed to short-term traditional project goals. Therefore, researchers suggest that more empirical studies should be conducted in the subject. The purpose of the study is to create an increased understanding of the relationship between sustainability and projects through the research questions “How is sustainability included in projects?” and “What is the perceived relationship between sustainability and project success?”.  Method: To achieve the purpose of the study, a qualitative method has been used in the form of six semi-structured interviews with project managers and people with different sustainability positions within Swedish construction companies. The collected data has been transcribed and coded into recurring themes which were analyzed through a content analysis.  Result & Conclusions: The study shows that the customer for the projects can act as an opening or barrier for how sustainability is included within projects. The results also show that the entire supply chain can influence the inclusion of sustainability. According to this study, the relationship between sustainability work and project success is difficult to determine, which is explained by the fact that sustainability is actually a part of project success. Thus, the study has resulted in the model “The Sustainable Iron Triangle”.  Contribution of the thesis: This study has contributed to an increased theoretical understanding of the relationship between sustainability and projects, but also provides an empirical basis on whether sustainability is included in projects and its relation to project success. This study has developed the model The Iron Triangle into The Sustainable Iron Triangle which better reflects today's assessment of project success.  Suggestions for future research: Future studies are recommended to carry out similar surveys regarding construction companies outside Sweden or to examine the customer's perceptions regarding the inclusion of sustainability in projects. What also would be interesting is to test The Sustainable Iron Triangle in an industry other than the construction industry to examine the relevance of the model in another context.  Key words: Project, Sustainability, Project Management, Triple Bottom Line, Project Success, The Iron Triangle.

Inom forskning om ’projektframgång’ råder det delade meningar om vad begreppet egentligen innebär. Det saknas ett allmängiltigt ramverk för att värdera framgång. Den här studien utforskar begreppet genom att studera upplevelsen av framgång hos olika deltagare i ett projekt som genomförts inom offentlig verksamhet. Med syfte att förstå hur de olika deltagarna inom projektet definierar vad som är framgångsrikt och ta reda på vilka dimensioner av framgång som är viktiga för dem har sex respondenter intervjuats. Resultatet har analyserats genom Shenhar, Levy och Dvirs (1997) fyra dimensioner av framgång och visar att respondenterna betonade vikten av långsiktiga dimensioner av framgång snarare än kortsiktiga. Särskilt viktigt var att projektresultatet kommit till användning, att det hade genererat ny kunskap och lett till förbättrade förutsättningar för ytterligare utveckling av deras verksamheter och för dem själva som individer. Därmed skiljer sig resultatet från tidigare forskning där framför allt kortsiktiga aspekter av framgång, som att projektresultatet levererats inom tids- och kostnadsramarna, har lyfts fram som särskilt viktigt. / Within research literature about ‘project success’ there are diverse perceptions about what the concept really entails. There is no universal framework to value success. This study explores the concept by studying the perception of success among different participants in a project that has been carried out within the public sector. By interviewing six different respondents, the purpose of the study has been to understand how the participants within the project define success and to find out what dimensions of success are most important to them. The result has been analysed through Shenhar, Levy and Dvir’s (1997) four dimensions of success and shows that the respondents emphasized the importance of long-term dimensions of success rather than short-term dimensions. Important among these were that the project results had proven useful, that it had generated new knowledge and improved the conditions for further development of their organisations and for themselves as individuals. Consequently, the result differs from earlier research where short-term dimensions of success have been described as particularly important, merely that the project result is delivered on time and within budget.