Survival and Revival: Transition Path of the Chinese Construction Industry During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused extensive influence on the world’s economy and society. Many industries suffer from enormous losses in China, while the construction industry achieves a “V’ shape revival in performance. Based on an online survey of 283 Chinese civil engineers, this study reveals that the construction industry encountered difficulties of lack of workers, blocked transportation, shortage of materials, and inadequate funds, which led to common problems of schedule delay and cost overrun during the pandemic. Key measures to mitigate the impact of the pandemic and help the construction industry transit from survival to revival include efficient epidemic control, various government support, usage of digital technologies, and flexible management and communication schemes. These responding strategies imply that the government, the construction industry, and construction enterprises should improve information technology intelligence to meet the challenges of a global pandemic.