Making sense of a governance framework for megaprojects: The challenge of finding equilibrium

The aim of this paper is to investigate the main objectives and effects of a governance framework for megaprojects from the perspective of project actors. A sensemaking perspective is mobilized to empirically study how project actors perceive the effects on government efficiency, legitimacy and accountability of Quebec's (Canada) governance framework. Results highlight the specificities and tensions between these three objectives, exploring the positive accounts, potential improvements and dynamic aspects associated with each. Using a multilevel perspective, results show that each level is related to a central objective: the institutional level with legitimacy, the organizational level with accountability and the project level with efficiency. Tensions are found within each level but more importantly between them, as some objectives oppose the others, making it challenging to attain an overall equilibrium. This exploratory research, based on 44 interviews and abductive theory building, broadens understanding of the governance of public megaprojects, notably by applying a sensemaking lens to an institutional policy that seeks to improve project performance.