Chinese Construction Industry Research Articles

Do Government Subsidies Induce Green Transition of Construction Industry? Evidence from Listed Firms in China

The construction industry is a major energy consumer and carbon emitter, and identifying the key drivers for its green transition has attracted increasing attention. Although government subsidies are one of the most effective and direct ways to induce a green transition, few academics have examined their effects at a micro level. Therefore, this study used the Chinese construction industry as an example to study the influence of subsidies on its green transition. Given the ambiguity of the green transition concept, this study employed the number of green patents and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) ratings to represent the narrow sense and the wide sense of green transition, respectively. According to the empirical findings, subsidies can successfully induce green technology innovation and thus facilitate a green transition. The results of heterogeneity analysis show that government subsidies have a significant incentive-based effect solely on state-owned firms, but an insufficient effect on private and other enterprises. Furthermore, while government subsidies have little effect on ESG ratings, they can promote green transition of enterprises by increasing ESG ratings. The government should increase the types of subsidy packages available to enterprises, while attaching more importance to social responsibility.

Static Bending Mechanical Properties of Prestressed Concrete Composite Slab with Removable Rectangular Steel-Tube Lattice Girders

In recent years, with the development of building technology, the Chinese construction industry has begun to gradually promote the prefabricated buildings to save on construction costs. Among them, composite slabs, as essential components of prefabricated buildings, have been widely used by designers mainly in favor of their low cost. However, is it possible to further reduce the cost without affecting the quality? Researchers think so if the operation cycle of support from the bottom of composite slabs can accelerate and the mechanical properties of their bottom plate can be optimized. To prove this hypothesis, researchers proposed a new type of prestressed concrete composite slab with removable rectangular steel-tube lattice girders (referred to as CDB composite slabs), whose bottom plate consists of a temporary structure composed of a prestressed concrete prefabricated plate and removable rectangular steel-tube lattice girders. Through static bending performance tests on three prefabricated bottom plates and one composite slab, researchers measured corresponding load-displacement curves, load-strain curves, crack development, and distribution, etc. The test results show that the top chord rectangular steel tubes connected to the bottom plate concrete through web reinforcement bars significantly improve the rigidity, crack resistance, and load-bearing capacity of the bottom plate and possess better ductility and out-of-plane stability. The number of supports at the bottom of the bottom plate is effectively reduced, with the maximum unsupported span reaching 4.8 m. Beyond 4.8 m, only one additional support is needed, and the maximum support span can be up to 9.0 m, which provides space for cost reduction. The cooperative load-bearing performance of the prefabricated bottom plate and the post-cast composite layer concrete is good. The top chord rectangular steel tubes are easy to dismantle and can be reused, which reduces the steel consumption by about 24% compared to that used for the same size of ordinary steel-tube lattice-girder concrete composite slabs. It can greatly decrease the cost. In conclusion, the results have shown that the new method researchers proposed here is practically applicable and also provides great space to save on financial costs.

Evaluation and promotion path of high-quality development in the Chinese construction industry under the context of carbon neutrality

Evaluation and promotion path of high-quality development in the Chinese construction industry under the context of carbon neutrality

Deconstructing the organizational resilience of construction firms in major emergencies: A text mining analysis of listed construction companies in China

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in unprecedented huge losses for construction companies in terms of capital, labor, and project construction, highlighting a significant lack of organizational resilience (OR) within the construction industry. How to improve the OR of construction companies has become the key to resolve the crisis. However, there is a lack of systematic insights into the structure and dimensions of OR, as well as a gap in empirical evidence to explain how construction firms systematically construct OR. Therefore, this paper systematically identifies 19 resilience topics and their language descriptions by mining the resilience-related information in 1572 annual reports and expert interview data of listed companies in the Chinese construction industry during the COVID-19 pandemic, using a combination of the topic model and language model. Following the basic concept of OR, a framework of OR dimensions in the construction firms that integrates actions, resources, and capabilities is developed to uncover the complex resilience characteristics of construction firms. The results show that OR sought by listed companies in the construction industry consists of resilient actions, resilience resources, and resilience capabilities. Resilient actions stem from motivating, restraining, protecting, and exploring actions. The resilience resources include the resource reserves of organization, technology, and knowledge, while the resilience capabilities are dynamic capabilities that integrate prevention, response, adaptation, monitoring, perception, and recovery. The findings not only deconstruct the OR framework for construction companies to cope with crises, but also provide new paths for construction managers to cultivate the OR of companies in practice.

Development of a digital transformation maturity model for the construction industry

PurposeDigital transformation is crucial for achieving high-quality development in the construction industry. Assessing the industry's digital maturity is an urgent necessity. The Digital Transformation Maturity Model is a potential tool to systematically evaluate the digital maturity levels of various industries. However, most existing models predominantly focus on sectors such as the Internet and manufacturing, leaving the construction industry comparatively underrepresented. This study aims to address this gap by developing a maturity model tailored specifically for digital transformation within the construction industry.Design/methodology/approachThis study leverages the Capability Maturity Theory and integrates the unique characteristics of the construction industry to construct a comprehensive maturity model for digital transformation. The model comprises five critical dimensions: industry environment, strategy and organization, digital infrastructure, business process and management digitization, and digital performance. These dimensions encompass a total of 25 assessment indexes. To validate the model's feasibility and effectiveness, a digital transformation maturity assessment was conducted within China's construction industry.FindingsThe results of the maturity assessment within the Chinese construction industry reveal that it currently operates at the third level of digital maturity (defined level). The industry's maturity score stands at 2.329 out of 5. This outcome indicates that the developed model is accurate and reliable in assessing the level of digital transformation maturity within the construction industry.Originality/valueThis paper contributes both practical and theoretical insights to the field of digital transformation within the construction industry. By creating a tailored maturity model, it addresses a significant gap in existing research and offers a valuable tool for assessing and advancing digital maturity levels within this industry.

Research on Green Building Design Optimization Based on Building Information Modeling and Improved Genetic Algorithm

The energy consumption of the construction industry has been increasing year by year, posing a huge challenge to China’s dual carbon goals of peaking carbon emissions and achieving carbon neutrality. The Chinese construction industry has huge potential for energy conservation and emission reduction, and the government has therefore put forward requirements for constructing green buildings and formulated strict evaluation standards. The carbon emissions of the construction industry involve various stages of the entire life cycle and are closely related to the green building design standards that meet the requirements. This article sets multiple objective functions based on the two dimensions of the carbon emissions of the entire life cycle of buildings and green building evaluation and uses the NSGA-II algorithm in genetic algorithms to optimize ten indicators selected from the two objectives. Based on this, building information modeling (BIM) modeling was carried out for an office building project in Southwest China, and energy consumption analysis and evaluation were conducted based on the project’s multidisciplinary model. The dialectical relationship between the carbon emissions of the entire life cycle of buildings and the green building evaluation values was discovered, and the optimized parameter combination scheme corresponding to the Pareto solution set was obtained, providing a reference for using improved genetic algorithms and BIM technology to optimize green building design.

WHAT HINDERS INTERNET OF THINGS (IOT) ADOPTION IN THE CHINESE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY: A MIXED-METHOD

Although the Internet of Things (IoT) has aroused much interest as a potential approach for improving various construction activities, the extent of its adoption remains limited. The multiple barriers that prevent the wider adoption of IoT in the construction industry need detailed investigation. However, limited research has attempted to understand the barriers to IoT adoption. Therefore, this study aims to identify the critical barriers to IoT adoption in the construction industry and explore the prioritization and hierarchical structure of the barriers factors. Data were collected from relevant literature and feedback from Chinese industry experts, sixteen barriers against IoT adoption were identified and categorized based on the TOE framework assessed in the construction industry. An integrated interpretation structure model and decision-making and trial evaluation laboratory (ISM-DEMATEL) approach is adopted to analyze the interdependence between identified constructs and their intensities. In addition, the identified constructs are also clustered into a suitable group using MICMAC analysis. Results show that inadequate infrastructure, lack of governance, and top management support are the fundamental barrier against IoT adoption. By revealing the mutual relationships and interlinking of barriers, this study will help researchers and practitioners in the construction industry to focus on strategic efforts to overcome these obstacles to effective IoT implementation. This research revealed the barriers to IoT implementation in the Chinese construction industry. Also, it provides methodological tool references for exploring the impact factor of other similar innovative technology applied in this industry.

How to Foster Project Citizenship Behavior in Construction Industry: Organizational Culture Matters

Seller's project citizenship behavior has recently received much attention due to its role in promoting project success and improving the performance of both the overall project and of each stakeholder. However, previous studies have paid insufficient attention to how organizational culture affects a seller's project citizenship behavior, especially in the context of interorganizational conflicts. Therefore, this study explores the influence mechanism of three dimensions of seller's organizational culture with spillover effects (social responsibility, customer orientation, and innovation) on employees’ project citizenship behavior, and investigates the moderating role of interorganizational conflict (task conflict, relationship conflict, and conflict profiles) in the relationship between organizational culture and project citizenship behavior. Based on 248 surveys gathered from the Chinese construction industry, the empirical results show that the social responsibility and customer orientation of a seller's organizational culture have a significant positive impact on the project citizenship behavior of its employees. Meanwhile, interorganizational task conflict negatively moderates the relationship between customer orientation and project citizenship behavior, while relationship conflict positively moderates it. Moreover, the conflict state profile with low task conflict and high relationship conflict is most conducive to enhancing the positive impact of customer orientation on project citizenship behavior. This article reveals the impact of the spillover effect of a seller's organizational culture on its employees’ project citizenship behavior, contributes to organizational culture theory in terms of its spillover effect and the impact on promoting the development of project citizenship behavior, and provides practical guidance for construction practitioners.

Development of green business strategies through green dynamic capabilities and environmental regulation: Empirical evidence from the construction sector

Environmental regulations are compelling companies to adopt green business strategies. Among construction firms, green strategy is complex—given increasingly stringent environmental regulations, construction firms must now engage in responsible innovation in dynamic environments. This study proposed a novel framework for exploring how environmental regulations and green dynamic capabilities may improve green business strategies among construction firms. Specifically, this framework identifies how responsible innovation and corporate environmental ethics may moderate the impact of green dynamic capabilities and environmental regulations on green business strategies in this context. Data were collected by surveying 407 firms in the Chinese construction industry and analyzed using the partial least squares structural equation modelling method. The results showed that (1) environmental regulation and green dynamic capabilities are important for improving responsible innovation; (2) environmental regulation and green dynamic capabilities are positively related to green business strategies; (3) responsible innovation mediates the relationships between green dynamic capabilities, environmental regulations, and green business strategies; and (4) corporate environmental ethics moderates the interactions between green dynamic capabilities, environmental regulation, and responsible innovation. These findings provide practical insights that managers can use to determine how to respond to environmental regulations and integrate, coordinate, and reconfigure resources to engage in practical, responsible innovation that improves green business strategies.

What and how influence the safety knowledge sharing of new generation of construction workers in China: a study based on DEMATEL and ISM

PurposeNew generation of construction workers (NGCWs) who were born in the 1980s and later have gradually become the main workforce of Chinese construction industry. They may behave differently when dealing with knowledge-related activities due to divergent characteristics caused by generational discrepancy. To provide a theoretical foundation for construction companies and safety managers to improve safety management, this research explores the factors and paths impacting the NGCWs' ability to share their safety knowledge.Design/methodology/approachBased on literature review, main factors that influence the safety knowledge sharing of the NGCWs were identified. Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory and Interpretive Structural Modeling were applied to identify the hierarchical and contextual relations among the factors influencing the safety knowledge sharing of the NGCWs.FindingsThe results showed that sharing atmosphere ranked first in centrality and had a high degree of influence and being influenced, indicating itself an extremely important influencing factor of safety knowledge sharing of NGCWs. Six root influencing factors were identified, including individual characteristics, work pressure, sharing platform, incentive mechanism, leadership support and safety management system.Research limitations/implicationsThe number of influencing factors of safety knowledge sharing of the NGCWs identified in this study is limited, and the data obtained by the expert scoring method is subjective. In future studies, the model should be further developed and validated by incorporating experts from different fields to improve its integrity and applicability.Practical implicationsThe influencing factors identified in this paper can provide a basis for construction companies and safety managers to improve productivity and safety management by taking relevant measures to promote safety knowledge sharing. The research contributes to the understanding knowledge management in the context of the emerging market. It helps to answer the question of how the market can maintain the economic growth success through effective knowledge management.Originality/valueThis paper investigates the influencing factors of NGCWs' safety knowledge sharing from the perspective of intergenerational differences, and the 13 influencing factor index system established expands the scope of research on factors influencing safety knowledge sharing among construction workers and fills the gap in safety knowledge sharing research on young construction workers. Furthermore, this paper establishes a multi-layer recursive structure model to clarify the influence path of the influencing factors and contributes to the understanding of safety knowledge sharing mechanism.

Intellectual capital, digital transformation and firm performance: evidence based on listed companies in the Chinese construction industry

PurposeThe study aims to investigate the effects of intellectual capital and its constituents on the performance of listed companies operating in China's construction sector. The study also intends to examine the moderating role of digital transformation.Design/methodology/approachHypotheses will be tested using Modified Value-Added Intellectual Capital (MVAIC). The sample will be comprised of 93 Shenzhen and Shanghai A-share listed companies within the construction industry from the period of 2015–2021. Multiple regression analysis was employed to investigate the influence of intellectual capital, its components and digital transformation on the performance of construction firms.FindingsThe study's results reveal that the performance of construction firms greatly depends on intellectual capital and its components. Furthermore, digital transformation plays a vital moderating role between intellectual capital and its components and construction firm performance.Practical implicationsThis study addresses a critical inquiry on how construction managers can employ intellectual capital to enhance the performance of firms during digital transformation. Additionally, this research bridges this gap by guiding construction managers to concentrate on their external surroundings when examining firm performance.Originality/valueBy focusing on the predictors influencing construction firms' performance, this study contributes to the existing corpus of knowledge. This study employs resource orchestration theory (ROT) to determine how the different components of intellectual capital impact the performance of construction firms, with digital transformation acting as a moderating variable. This research will be valuable to researchers, construction industry professionals and policymakers.

The Spatiotemporal Distribution Characteristics and Driving Factors of Carbon Emissions in the Chinese Construction Industry

As a pillar industry of the national economy, the construction industry not only promotes urban development and social prosperity but also has an irreversible impact on the environment with the trend of high carbon emissions. Therefore, it is of great significance for the construction industry to take the lead in achieving carbon emissions reduction. This paper attempts to explore the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics and specific driving factors of carbon emissions in the construction industry in 30 provinces of China from 2011 to 2020 based on the spatial econometric analysis, so as to clarify the development trajectory and formation mechanism. The key findings are (1) there are obvious differences in carbon emissions across Chinese provinces, culminating in a distinct “Belt–Ring–Dot” spatial distribution; (2) the carbon emissions in the construction industry follow an inverted U-shaped pattern from south to north, with lower emissions in the west and higher emissions in the east, which means the pressure and potential of carbon emissions reduction coexist; (3) the Moran’s I index values from 2011 to 2020 were all greater than 0, with a maximum value of 0.284, indicating that there is a notable positive spatial correlation in carbon emissions in the construction industry between provinces; and (4) among the five factors, the number of employees displays the most pronounced spatial correlation, passing the test a total of eight times, and the mean test coefficient is the largest at 0.552. This factor positively influences carbon emissions alongside the gross product. On the other hand, the patents granted factor significantly inhibits carbon emissions with all test coefficients being negative with a maximum absolute value of 0.166. The impact of the technical equipment rate shows a characteristic of initial positive stimulation followed by later negative inhibition. In contrast, the urbanization rate exhibits the weakest spatial correlation with the minimum test coefficient being only 0.001.

Transmission of risk to China's construction industry due to international interest rate fluctuations

PurposeUnder the trend of global economic integration and the new context of stagflation, frequent fluctuations in international interest rates are exerting far-reaching impacts on the world economy. In this paper, the transmission mechanism of the impact of fluctuations in international interest rates (specifically, the American interest rate) on the bankruptcy risk in China's pillar industry, the construction industry (which is also sensitive to interest rates), is examined.Design/methodology/approachUsing an improved contingent claims analysis, the bankruptcy risk of enterprises is calculated in this paper. Additionally, an individual fixed-effects model is developed to investigate the mediating effects of international interest rates on the bankruptcy risk in the Chinese construction industry. The heterogeneity of subindustries in the industrial chain and the impact of China's energy consumption structure are also analysed in this paper.FindingsThe findings show that fluctuations in international interest rates, which affect the bankruptcy risk of China's construction industry, are mainly transmitted through two major pathways, namely, commodity price effects and exchange rate effects. In addition, the authors examine the important impact of China's energy consumption structure on risk transmission and assess the transmission and sharing of risks within the industrial chain.Originality/valueFirst, in the research field, the study of international interest rate risk is extended to domestic-oriented industries. Second, in terms of the research content, this paper is focused on China-specific issues, including the significant influence of China's energy consumption structure characteristics and the risk contagion (and risk sharing) as determined by the current development of the Chinese construction industry. Third, in terms of research methods a modified contingent claim analysis approach to bankruptcy risk indicators is adopted for this study, thus overcoming the problems of data frequency, market sentiment and financial data fraud, which are issues that are ignored by most relevant studies.

How Responsible Leadership Improves Stakeholder Collective Performance in Construction Projects: The Empirical Research from China

Increasing attention to stakeholders is becoming an important trend in construction project management. This study extends construction project goals beyond traditional iron triangle goals to stakeholder collective performance, responding to the demand of promoting stakeholder management. Researchers collected 231 questionnaires from sources within the Chinese construction industry and conducted empirical analysis. The research uncovers the internal mechanisms of how project managers’ responsible leadership enhances stakeholder performance, complements the mediating mechanism on team members’ psychological cognition, and reveals the important contribution of caring ethical climate in achieving stakeholder collective performance. The findings also provide practical suggestions for enhancing construction stakeholder management from various perspectives.

Linking Sustainable Project Management with Construction Project Success: Moderating Influence of Stakeholder Engagement

Stakeholder engagement (SE) is an important factor in making a project successful. Steered by the resource-based value (RBV) and stakeholder theories, this paper aims to explore not only the correlation between sustainable project management (SPM) and sustainable project success (SPS), but also the moderating effect of SE on this connection. Data was gathered from 365 questionnaires distributed to construction project professionals in China. Structural equation modelling was employed to test the proposed hypotheses. The results confirm that both SPM and SE positively affect SPS, but the positive moderating effects of SE were found to be insignificant. This article provides the basis for the Chinese construction industry to determine how to achieve SPS through the enhanced implementation of SPM and effective SE.

The impact of autonomy on sustainable performance in foreign subsidiaries: an empirical study from Chinese construction industry

PurposeForeign construction subsidiaries play an important role in the global construction market. How to establish and maintain long-term sustainable performance has attracted increased attention, but only a few studies have considered this issue. The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between autonomy and the sustainable performance of subsidiaries and to provide support for their management control modes.Design/methodology/approachFrom an institutional logics perspective, empirical research using a questionnaire survey was conducted following the methodological framework of this study. Relevant data were collected from 106 experienced managers of foreign construction subsidiaries, and the hypotheses were tested through a regression model.FindingsThe results show that foreign construction subsidiaries have a high degree of operational autonomy, which tends to strengthen their embeddedness in the host country and improve their sustainable performance. However, the role of strategic autonomy is not found to be significant. The moderation results show that the positive impact between operational autonomy and external network embeddedness is strengthened by institutional distance. Institutional distance has no significant moderating impact on the relationship between strategic autonomy and external network embeddedness, respectively.Research limitations/implicationsGeographical limitations may exist as the survey is focused on the Chinese construction foreign subsidiaries. However, based on an institutional logics perspective, this study discusses the management control mode of foreign subsidiaries, which enriches the antecedents of sustainable performance and can provide an in-depth explanation of the effects of the organizational strategies of multinational construction enterprises.Practical implicationsThis study provides beneficial information for the sustainable performance of foreign construction subsidiaries. It will provide detailed guidance to managers located in different institutional environments on optimally promoting the sustainable development of subsidiaries.Originality/valueThis study identifies autonomy as an important antecedent, making it one of the first studies investigating autonomy on the sustainable performance of foreign construction subsidiaries. The findings of this study can contribute to the construction subsidiaries' sustainable performance literature and provide novel, comprehensive knowledge for academia and practice.

Study on Regional Differences of Carbon Emission Efficiency: Evidence from Chinese Construction Industry

The escalating issue of global climate change necessitates urgent measures to reduce carbon emissions globally. Within this context, the construction industry emerges as a critical sector to address given its high energy consumption, substantial CO2 emissions, and low utilization rate. Therefore, it is pivotal to foster energy conservation and reduce emissions in this sector. To this end, this paper delineates two primary objectives: (1) identifying optimal research methodologies and index parameters for evaluating carbon emission efficiency in the construction industry, and (2) assessing the variance in carbon emission efficiency at disparate stages and regions. Leveraging the Malmquist index, we scrutinize the carbon emission data from 30 Chinese provinces spanning from 2010 to 2019. Our findings indicate a geographical dichotomy in China’s construction industry’s carbon emission efficiency—lower in the west and higher in the east. Additionally, this study delves into the distinguishing features of emission efficiency alterations across regions, the main influencing factors, and avenues for enhancement. Subsequently, it proposes policy recommendations tailored to the unique attributes of various regions and the overarching framework.

Social Procurement in the Chinese Construction Industry: Relevance, Drivers and Barriers to Implementation

This paper addresses the current imbalance in construction social procurement research toward Western countries with neo-liberal models of public governance. It does this by exploring the potential value of construction social procurement in the Chinese centralized unitary state and socialist market system. Findings from a survey of one hundred and sixty-four professionals from the Chinese construction industry are reported. They highlight the institutional foundations into which social procurement could be implemented and the significant untapped social value that could be created. However, they also show that for social procurement to achieve its full potential in the Chinese construction industry, such policies need to be underpinned by meaningful industry consultation, effective education and clearly mandated targets that create a market for social value. This paper contributes to the global advancement of social procurement research in construction by providing new insights into the implementation of social procurement beyond the narrow confines of the Western political and governmental orthodoxies where such research has hitherto been focused.

The Influence of Personal and Workplace Characteristics on the Job Stressors of Design Professionals in the Chinese Construction Industry

The Influence of Personal and Workplace Characteristics on the Job Stressors of Design Professionals in the Chinese Construction Industry

Antecedents and Consequences of Sustainable Project Management: Evidence from the Construction Industry in China

SPM (sustainable project management) is vital to enhancing the success of projects. Despite several studies dealing with the connection between SPM and project success, this nexus is still insufficiently addressed. Steered by institutional theory and resource-based value theory, the purpose of this article is to investigate not only the link between SPM and SPS (sustainable project success), but also the mediating effect of SPP (sustainable project planning) on this connection, and the antecedent role of the institutional pressures (mimetic isomorphism pressure, MIP; normative isomorphism pressure, NIP) on SPM. To test the proposed hypotheses, this article applies PLS-SEM (partial least squares structural equation modeling) and recruited 365 project professionals who have experience in participating in SPM projects in China’s construction industry. The results confirm that both MIP and NIP significantly affect SPM, with NIP being the most significant. Moreover, the findings evidence that SPM had a significantly positive impact on SPS and SPP, and SPP had a significantly positive effect on SPS. Furthermore, the results also evidence that SPP mediates the effect of SPM on SPS. These findings provide empirical evidence for construction companies to understand SPM in the Chinese construction industry. They may also help policymakers to formulate proper policies to promote SPM to achieve sustainable development.