An Integrated Governance and Quality Management Framework for Regional Development Megaprojects in Saudi Arabia under Vision 2030

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@article{1723747,
      author = {Umer Akber},
      title = {An Integrated Governance and Quality Management Framework for Regional Development Megaprojects in Saudi Arabia under Vision 2030},
      journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
      year = {2026},
      volume = {10},
      number = {4},
      pages = {517-529},
      issn = {2456-8880},
      url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1723747.pdf},
      abstract = {Saudi Arabia's plan for regional development is becoming more dependent on large-scale projects which aim to achieve infrastructure delivery, effective use of space, economic diversification, good environmental performance, and long-term service outcomes. The huge size of these projects leads to problems both in terms of governance and construction: the strategic responsibilities are spread among sponsors, regional authorities, the organisations carrying out the delivery, consultants, contractors, operators, and the communities themselves, while the duties relating to quality are usually handled by systems that are specific to each project and which do not automatically help to maintain regional value. This study presents an integrated framework for governance and quality management in respect of regional development megaprojects within the context of Vision 2030. A systematic review of peer-reviewed literature published between 2020 and 2025 is used to gather evidence on megaproject governance, construction quality in Saudi Arabia, project controls, spatial governance, stakeholder participation, and regional sustainability. The review underscores four recurring gaps: dispersed decision-making powers, quality assurance that takes place too late, a weak ability to turn stakeholder information into binding decisions, and project data that are not connected. To handle these gaps, the proposed framework joins five governance-quality areas—strategic and territorial alignment, accountable decision-making powers, lifecycle quality assurance, digital data and control, and stakeholder-regional value—to seven lifecycle stages, covering the period from strategic need to the realization of benefits. The framework regards quality as a governance capability rather than as a function involving inspection and changes the way in which success is assessed from emphasizing solely on isolated measures of cost, time, and conformance to considering traceable regional benefits. The review offers a context-appropriate structure for coordinating a portfolio of interdependent projects while guaranteeing accountability, learning, and the delivery of measurable public value.},
      month = {October},
  }