Project controls have been defined in the existing literature as managerial decisions and actions aimed at rectifying poor project performance. Understanding the potential unintended negative effects of such controls will be beneficial to project management practice and to the resulting project performance. Using the system dynamics approach, this article investigates some unintended negative effects of client project cost controls. Empirical data from a raw-water infrastructure project are used to calibrate the formulated system dynamics simulation model. Simulation results suggest that the client project cost controls (aimed at minimising project cost), unintentionally generate some counteractive effects (an increase in the project cost and the time schedule duration). OPSOMMING Projekkontroles is in die literatuur gedefinieer as bestuursbesluite en aksies wat daarop gemik is om swak projekprestasie reg te stel. Om die potensiële onbedoelde negatiewe gevolge van sulke kontroles te begryp, sal voordelig wees vir projekbestuurspraktyke en die gevolglike projekprestasie. Met behulp van ʼn stelseldinamika-benadering, ondersoek hierdie artikel 'n paar onbedoelde negatiewe gevolge van kliëntprojekkostekontroles. Empiriese data uit 'n rou-water-infrastruktuurprojek word gebruik om die geformuleerde stelseldinamika simulasiemodel te kalibreer. Simulasie resultate dui daarop dat die kliënt projek koste kontrole (gemik op die vermindering van projek koste), onbedoeld sommige teenproduktiewe effekte genereer ('n toename in die projek koste en die projek tydsduur).

Different project participants often have different objectives and expectations, and implement different controls aimed at advancing their interests. This article investigates project controls taken by the client during the project design stage to improve project time schedule performance. Dynamic hypotheses and a System Dynamics conceptual model of client controls and their ripple effects are formulated in this article from a combination of the existing literature, mental models of project managers gathered through an embedded multiple-case study, and Systems Thinking. The results suggest that client controls that are aimed at improving project time schedule performance generate ripple effects that worsen the performance.

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The use of competition as a conflict-handling style aimed at win-lose end results has been highlighted by some researchers to be common during project execution. However, the impact of such competition on project performance remains largely under-researched. This article seeks to address this gap in the existing literature. A system dynamics simulation model of competition between two key project participants (client and engineering consultant) was formulated through a mixed methods research methodology incorporating the system dynamics approach. Data gathered for two sets of unique projects were used separately to conduct model calibrations, simulation experiments, and impact analyses. The results suggested that the competition negatively influenced project performance.