From Collaboration to Completion: How Teamwork Quality and Leadership Style Drive IT Project Performance

Abstract

Information technology (IT) projects continue to experience cost overruns, delays, and performance deficiencies despite advances in project management methodologies. Prior research has identified teamwork quality (TWQ) as a critical factor influencing project success; however, empirical evidence from developing economies remains limited. This study examines the effect of teamwork quality on IT project success, focusing on key dimensions including communication, coordination, cohesion, mutual support, balanced member contribution, and collaboration. In addition, the study investigates the moderating role of project managers’ leadership style in the relationship between TWQ and project success. A quantitative research design was adopted, supported by an extensive review of relevant literature to develop the research framework. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire administered electronically to software development team members and project managers working in IT organizations in Pakistan, all of whom possessed substantial professional experience in IT project environments. The study aims to provide empirical evidence on how enhanced teamwork quality contributes to improved project outcomes and how leadership style strengthens team effectiveness. By focusing on the Pakistani IT sector, this research addresses a contextual gap in the literature and offers practical implications for project managers and IT stakeholders seeking to improve project performance. The findings contribute to the growing body of knowledge on teamwork quality by integrating leadership as a key contextual mechanism in IT project success.