Chinese culture and successful implementation of partnering in Singapore's construction industry

Abstract

Partnering is based on the principles of trust, mutual respect and cooperation towards the achievement of a common goal. Although partnering can help to resolve the problems of Singapore's construction industry, its usage is relatively low. This paper examines whether Chinese culture can facilitate partnering implementation in Singapore's construction industry. This is because Chinese culture contains some values that are important determinants of success of partnering. A postal survey on Chinese-owned large contractors in Singapore was undertaken to ascertain how Chinese culture influences their way of conducting business and the implementation of partnering. The study showed that Chinese contractors understand their culture as comprising certain core values that influence the operations of their businesses and their relationships with others, and that Chinese culture aids the implementation of partnering. It is suggested that Chinese construction entrepreneurs should apply the elements of their culture to formulate appropriate business practices, and to implement partnering.