Groundbreak Carolinas

GroundBreak Carolinas

Your source for construction industry news in the Carolinas

Seamon Whiteside

Business | Contracting

FMI Releases First Installment of 2025 Project Management Study

by FMI on

Part 1, “Why Project Management Still Fails,” highlights persistent industry challenges and opportunities for leaders to act

FMI Corporation, a leading provider of consulting and investment banking services to the built environment, today announced the release of part one of its 2025 Project Manager Study. The first installment, Why Project Management Still Fails, examines the root causes of underperformance and offers actionable insights for construction executives and project managers.

Drawing from survey responses and interviews with 243 executives and 84 project managers, the study reveals why projects continue to fall short of expectations and what differentiates high-performing firms from the rest.

Key findings include:

  • Only 2.5% of firms report that projects consistently finish on time and on budget.
  • When project managers are at least moderately involved in estimating, profit reliability increases dramatically, with the likelihood of hitting profit margin targets jumping from 55% to 78%.
  • Only one in four executives strongly agrees that project managers secure field leader buy-in before mobilization, a critical factor tied to schedule performance.

“Our research confirms that the gap between good and great is measurable and begins well before the first shovel breaks ground,” said Tyler Paré, head of FMI Consulting’s operations practice. “This report gives leaders clear indicators to identify, helping them take immediate steps toward better results.”

The report also highlights three practices that consistently set high-performing contractors apart: early project manager involvement in estimating, structured pre-execution planning and field leadership buy-in prior to mobilization. Together, these create a scalable standard for profit reliability and schedule predictability.

“Too often, project managers are asked to deliver results without being given the influence or resources to succeed,” said Gregg Schoppman, partner at FMI. “High-performing firms change that dynamic by making project management a cornerstone of how they operate.”

Part two of the study will examine how high performers manage disciplined execution, and part three will explore the evolving role of the project manager as projects grow more complex.

Download part one here.