Key Competencies for Effective Project Management in the Context of Digitalization in India

Abstract: The construction industry worldwide is experiencing a paradigm shift due to the impact of digitalisation, BIM, AI, IoT, automation, cloud computing, etc. This revolutionises the planning, coordination, and construction approaches currently employed across projects. Nevertheless, India faces challenges, such as fragmented workflows, that may hinder the workforce's ability to fully adapt to the digital revolution. This paper provides an overview of the competencies required in project management in India, in the context of Digitalisation, as opposed to those of the construction industry, and across sectors such as IT, manufacturing, and logistics, which are among the most digitally advanced. A systematic analysis of the available data has identified five distinct areas. These areas are Digital technical competency, Governance competency, digitally enabled project management competency, Behavioural interpersonal competency, and Strategic leadership competency. This study presents a Competency Framework and an Implementation Plan to address the project management industry in India. These findings are significant given the notable shift in the construction industry in India, which is dependent on workforce competency and the establishment of necessary leadership.