Chinese Construction Research Articles

How to improve supply chain sustainable performance by resilience practices through dynamic capability view: Evidence from Chinese construction

This study explores the relationship between supply chain resilience (SCR) and sustainable supply chain performance (SSCP) within the context of the Chinese construction industry, a sector known for its complexity and vulnerability to disruptions. Drawing on data from 525 construction companies, the research investigates how SCR directly influences SSCP and examines the mediating role of dynamic capabilities in this relationship. The results highlight those dynamic capabilities, specifically the ability to seize and reconfigure, serve as critical mediators in the resilience-sustainability relationship while sensing does not have a significant mediating effect. This suggests that in highly dynamic environments like China's construction sector, focusing on capturing opportunities and reconfiguring resources is more effective for achieving sustainable outcomes than relying solely on sensing capabilities. This finding contributes to the growing body of knowledge by providing a nuanced understanding of how resilience practices can be leveraged to promote long-term sustainability.

Digital financial inclusion role to promote renewable energy technology innovation in Chinese prefectural cities: Moderating role of environmental governance

Renewable energy technology innovation is not only an important technical component of Chinese construction of low-carbon energy systems but also a key way to realize long-term, sustainable development. Digital inclusive finance plays an indispensable role in this process. Using panel data of 275 Chinese cities from 2011 to 2022, a two-step systematic methodology is used to assess the impacts and mechanisms of digital financial inclusion and the moderating role of different environmental governance models on qualitative and quantitative renewable energy innovation. The results indicate that digital inclusive finance has an incentive effect on both qualitative and quantitative renewable energy innovations, with a stronger incentive effect on qualitative behavior. This effect can act on renewable energy technology innovation by reducing financing constraints and incentivizing information disclosure mechanisms. Moreover, different forms of environmental governance have a positive, moderating effect, while the effect of top-down environmental governance is more manifested in quantitative renewable energy innovation. Furthermore, heterogeneity analyses show that the incentive effect of digital financial inclusion is more pronounced in the PV sector and the eastern regions. The findings provide a theoretical basis and practical insights that enable policy-makers to formulate relevant renewable energy technology innovation policies and promote low-carbon energy transition.

Key factors affecting project delivery system selection in the Chinese construction industry

This study aims to investigate the key factors owners consider when selecting a PDS, the importance degree of these factors, and the perception differences among owners, consultants, and contractors regarding these factors. Interviews and questionnaire surveys were used to determine the importance degree of each influencing factor. And perception differences of the influencing factors on PDS among the three subjects were calculated through SPSS 15.0. The findings show that the three subjects' perceptions of the importance degree of the economic attributes of the engineering project, engineering project complexity, sub-project construction interference degree, and delivery system preference were significantly different, while the perceptions of engineering project scale, investment control requirements, schedule requirements, quality requirements, risk preference, construction management capability, land acquisition, demolition and migration, construction site conditions, local policies and regulations, and construction market development level were insignificantly different. This research can help owners understand influencing factors on PDS selection from different dimensions. Valuable information was provided for owners to select an accurate and reasonable PDS, ultimately reducing project costs and facilitating project management. Additionally, this research complements previous research on PDS selection and proposes a new influencing factors framework by exploring the key factors affecting PDS selection and the perception differences between the three subjects.

Forecasting financial distress in listed Chinese construction firms: leveraging ensemble learning and non-financial variables

The construction industry, characterized by high business failure rates due to complex, capital-intensive projects, is crucial for China’s economy. Predicting financial distress and early warnings is crucial to prevent crises. While financial ratios are commonly used, non-financial information remains underexplored, with limited empirical evidence supporting its effectiveness in enhancing predictive accuracy. Additionally, most studies on financial distress prediction focus on constructing single classifiers without utilizing ensemble models that integrate multiple algorithms, resulting in suboptimal prediction accuracy. To address these problems, this study presents a model that uses accounting variables and firm characteristics, construction market dynamics, and macroeconomic indicators to predict the probability of failure one to two years in advance. The model uses a soft voting-based ensemble algorithm, financial ratios refined through the recursive feature elimination with cross-validation (RFECV) algorithm, and dataset balancing via Synthetic Minority Over-Sampling Technique + Tomek Link (SMOTETomek). The comparison results indicate that the predictive performance of the soft voting ensemble model outperforms all single classifiers across all combinations of input variables and prediction years. Additionally, incorporating non-financial variables, such as firm characteristics, construction market dynamics, and macroeconomic indicators, further enhances the model’s accuracy. The proposed model can be effectively employed to help stakeholders mitigate the risks associated with the financial distress of construction companies before the project implementation phase.

The influences of internal work locus of control on knowledge loss and organizational performance: role of job rotation in Chinese construction firms

The influences of internal work locus of control on knowledge loss and organizational performance: role of job rotation in Chinese construction firms

CROSS-CULTURAL CONFLICT ON ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE IN THE INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT OF CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES

This article focuses on the issue of cross-cultural management in the internationalization strategy of Chinese construction companies, especially in the Kazakhstan market. Through an exploratory approach, an in-depth case study of Pacific engineering & construction company limited (PECC), a Chinese construction company in Kazakhstan, this research provides rich insights into cross-cultural management in internationalization strategy. Based on data from 51 questionnaires, this article analyzes the impact of cross-cultural conflict on organizational performance in the internationalization management of construction companies. The results of the study show that the relationship between cross-cultural conflict and organizational performance is not a simple linear relationship, but an «inverted U-shaped» relationship. Both too high and too low cross-cultural conflict are detrimental to organizational performance, but appropriate cross-cultural conflict is conducive to organizational performance. This study contributes to the limited literature on internationalization of Chinese construction companies. At the same time, it provides a reference for the internationalization of other small and medium-sized enterprises in Kazakhstan. Key words: Cross-cultural conflict; Organizational performance; International management; Enterprise internationalization; Construction company.

The Moderating Effect Of Business Environment On The Supply Chain Management Practices And Competitive Advantage Of The Chinese Construction Industry In Kunming, The People's Republic Of China

The Moderating Effect Of Business Environment On The Supply Chain Management Practices And Competitive Advantage Of The Chinese Construction Industry In Kunming, The People's Republic Of China

The Duality of Technological Innovation and Dynamic Capabilities: The Micro-Foundation of China's Construction Machinery Industry's Rise up the Global Value Chain

In the context of global value chain reconstruction, Chinese construction machinery enterprises are facing the dual challenges of technological innovation and global competitiveness improvement. Based on organizational learning theory and dynamic capability perspective, this study constructs a theoretical framework of dual integration of technological innovation (exploratory innovation and pioneering innovation) and dynamic capability, and explores its impact mechanism on the global value chain upgrading of Chinese construction machinery enterprises. The study adopts a mixed research method, combining large-scale patent data analysis and in-depth case study, and constructs a longitudinal data set of 146 Chinese construction machinery enterprises from 2005 to 2022. By using structural equation modeling, dynamic panel regression and machine learning algorithms, this study reveals the following main conclusions: (1) The relationship between technological innovation duality and the global value chain position of enterprises is inverted U-shaped, and there is an optimal equilibrium point; (2) Dynamic capabilities partially mediate the relationship between technological innovation duality and global value chain climbing, among which absorptive capacity and reconstruction capacity are particularly critical; (3) The degree of internationalization of enterprises positively moderates the impact of technological innovation duality on dynamic capabilities; (4) The quality of the institutional environment moderates the relationship between technological innovation duality and dynamic capabilities, and a high-quality institutional environment strengthens the positive relationship between the two. The theoretical contributions of this study are: (1) it expands the global value chain theory and incorporates the duality of technological innovation into the analytical framework; (2) it reveals the mediating mechanism of dynamic capability theory in innovation and value chain climbing, enriching the dynamic capability theory; (3) it provides new empirical evidence for organizational learning theory and clarifies the dynamic process of exploration and utilization equilibrium. At the practical level, the research results provide guidance for engineering machinery companies to formulate innovation strategies and enhance global competitiveness, and also provide a basis for the government to formulate industrial upgrading policies. Future research can further explore the long-term evolution path of technological innovation duality and its differences in cross-cultural contexts.

Digital Transformation and Green Innovation Synergy: Double Drivers for Global Value Chain Upgrading in China's Construction Machinery Industry

With the digital transformation of the global economy and the deepening of the concept of sustainable development, China's construction machinery industry faces major opportunities and challenges in the reconstruction and upgrading of the global value chain. Based on the dynamic capability theory and the collaborative innovation theory, this study constructs a theoretical framework of "digital transformation-green innovation-global value chain upgrading" to explore the impact of the synergy between digital transformation and green innovation on improving the position of Chinese construction machinery companies in the global value chain. This study uses a multi-source data fusion method, combined with patent data, financial statements and questionnaires, to construct an unbalanced panel data set of 189 listed construction machinery companies in China from 2010 to 2022, and uses econometric methods such as dynamic panel modeling, threshold regression and machine learning to analyze. The study finds that: (1) The impact of digital transformation on the global value chain upgrading of construction machinery companies presents a nonlinear "U-shaped" curve relationship; (2) Green innovation plays a positive regulatory role in the relationship between digital transformation and value chain upgrading; (3) There is a significant synergy between digital transformation and green innovation ; (4) The quality of the institutional environment has an important impact on the synergy, and a high-quality institutional environment enhances the synergy; (5) Enterprise heterogeneity significantly moderates the impact of synergy on value chain upgrading. The study expands the theory of global value chains, enriches the theory of collaborative innovation, provides a new theoretical perspective for the integration of digital economy and green development, and provides practical guidance for enterprises and governments to formulate relevant strategies and policies. Future research can further explore the cross-national comparison and long-term dynamic evolution of synergy effects.Digital transformation

Investigation of an Ancient Wooden Cantilever Covered Bridge in China: Construction Form and Mechanical Properties

Wooden cantilever-covered bridges are typical Chinese constructions due to their structural style and architectural decoration. Yanzi bridge, an ancient wooden cantilever-covered bridge with more than 220 years of history in Anhua, China, has attracted increasing attention in recent years. In this study, its construction form and cultural background were investigated, and the structural components, original materials and mechanical behavior of the bridge were investigated in detail. First, the same type of raw material used for the Yanzi bridge, namely, pinus koraiensis, was tested to better understand its mechanical properties. Then, a finite element model was built to simulate the mechanical behavior of the bridge, and the stress state and internal forces of the cantilever system were obtained. According to the numerical results, when the loads are transferred downward and evened by the beams in the same layers of the cantilevers, the maximum deflection of the bridge of 12.8 mm meets the requirements of not exceeding L/600 in the specification, and the maximum normal stress of 1.35 MPa is much less than the ultimate tensile strength of the wood. This indicates that the structural safety performance of the ancient wooden cantilever-covered bridge is acceptable. Finally, a small amount of tiny damage of the bridge was observed and presented in the paper. This damage is not severe enough to cause brittle collapse, but care and maintenance are necessary to preserve this old historical bridge.

Exploring the impact of job satisfaction on turnover intention among professionals in the construction industry

PurposeTurnover intention is a critical predictor of an employee’s turnover behaviour. A high level of turnover rate significantly affects the productivity and morale of an enterprise. Previous research has indicated that job satisfaction plays a critical role in influencing an employee's turnover intention, but the underlying factors related to job satisfaction remain under-explored, which impedes the development of effective strategies for reducing turnover intention. In addition, little research examined job satisfaction and turnover intention in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically in the Chinese construction industry. This study aims to investigate the impact of job satisfaction on turnover intention among professionals in the construction industry.Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire survey was employed to collect viewpoints from 449 professionals in the Chinese construction industry, followed by descriptive analysis, correlation analysis and structural equation modelling analysis to derive results.FindingsThe findings indicate that professionals in the industry generally have a slightly high level of job satisfaction while a slightly low level of turnover intention in the special period of the pandemic outbreak. Leadership and management, training and career development and interpersonal relationships are critical underlying factors leading to their turnover intention. Although demographic factors have no moderating effect between job satisfaction and turnover intention, among them, age, marital status and years of working experience have strongly positive relationships with job satisfaction while significantly negative relationships with turnover intention.Originality/valueThe findings provide valuable insights to fully understand the critical factors leading to turnover intention from the perspective of job satisfaction, which is helpful in developing effective measures to address the turnover problems for enterprises in the Chinese construction industry and those industries with similar characteristics in other regions.

Mediating role of relational capital in the influence of organizational culture on international project performance for construction enterprises

PurposeThis study investigates the influence of market and hierarchy organizational cultures on international project performance and examines the mediating role of relational capital.Design/methodology/approachIn-depth interviews and a cross-sectional questionnaire survey were conducted to collect primary data within international projects. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to test the hypotheses based on data collected from 62 respondents.FindingsThe results reveal that both market and hierarchy cultures affect international project performance positively. Additionally, communication, cooperation and trust help enhance project performance; however, commitment is not. This study also proves the mediating role of relational capital between organizational culture and project performance.Research limitations/implicationsThis study selected only two types of organizational culture represented by Chinese construction enterprises. Future studies can explore the mediating role of relational capital between other varieties of organizational culture and project performance.Originality/valueGiven the high complexity and risks faced by projects abroad, both organizational culture, the internal environmental factor and relational capital being the external resource, are crucial for project success. This study clarifies the relationship between organizational culture, relational capital and project performance overseas. Empirical evidence to enhance international project performance for construction enterprises is provided. This study also makes contributions to international contractors who want to implement projects in developing countries.

How does contractual governance affect construction project performance? The mediating role of the contractor’s behavior

ABSTRACT The contractor’s performance behavior is fundamental in improving project performance. However, few studies have investigated the impact of contractual mechanisms on contractor’s performance behavior and how this impacts project performance. Therefore, this study developed and tested a theoretical model to examine the mediating role of contractor’s performance behavior between risk allocation(contractual governance) and project performance. A total of 208 valid questionnaires collected from project managers in the Chinese construction industry were analyzed by partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to test the theoretical hypotheses. The empirical results show that proper risk allocation can induce both contractors’ perfunctory and consummate behavior and restrict opportunistic behavior, thus achieving basic project performance. Although the mediating effect of perfunctory behavior is insignificant, consummate and opportunistic behavior can mediate between proper risk allocation and value-added project performance, where the mediating role of consummate behavior is more critical. The findings contribute to the impact of contractual mechanisms on the construction project performance and guide the owner’s contract design strategy and the contractor’s choice of performance strategy.

The Impact of Environmental Public Opinion Pressure on Green Innovation in Construction Enterprises: The Mediating Role of Green Corporate Image and the Regulatory Effect of Market Competition

Due to growing public concern over environmental preservation and the growing development of Internet information communication platforms, media coverage of corporate environmental issues can exert certain environmental public opinion pressure (EPOP) on enterprises and influence their behaviors. However, the current study of EPOP on the influence mechanism of corporate green innovation (CGI) has not yet formed a systematic and comprehensive theoretical analysis framework. Therefore, based on legitimacy theory and stakeholder theory, this paper explores the impact mechanism and role boundary between EPOP and CGI based on the data from 328 valid questionnaires of construction enterprises of the Chengdu–Chongqing Dual City Economic Circle using hierarchical regression analysis. The findings of the research indicate that EPOP can affect construction company green innovations positively, green corporate image (GCI) plays a partial mediating effect in the relationship between EPOP on CGI; market competition (MC) negatively moderates the relationship between EPOP and CGI, in addition, MC negatively regulates the intermediary effect of GCI in the relationship between EPOP and CGI. The findings of the study serve as theoretical support and decision-making reference to promote Chinese construction enterprise’s transition to green innovation and improve environmental governance level.

Profiling analytic causative construction in Chinese: a multifactorial analysis of diachronic change

Abstract Taking a multifactorial approach, this article profiles the formal and semantic changes of Chinese analytic causative construction (CACC for short) and its jiao 1 , jiao 2 , ling, rang and shi micro-constructions. It is found that CACC micro-constructions have undergone two types of formal change. Building on a data-driven periodization of diachronic data, this study analyzes semantic changes of CACC and its micro-constructions from semasiological and onomasiological perspectives and at local constituent and global construction levels. Major findings are as follows: six stages are identified in the semantic development of CACC micro-constructions. Semasiologically, diachronic semantic prototypicality of CACC remains constant while that of its micro-constructions changes with time. A general polysemization route is followed by CACC and its micro-constructions, with the superordinate CACC governing the subordinate micro-constructions in semantic change pathway. Onomasiologically, diachronic semantic division of labor among CACC micro-constructions varies over time. For CACC micro-constructions, semantics of local causer, causee and effected predicate tends to change in concert with global constructional semantics at early and late periods of semantic development, whereas local and global semantic changes during the intermediary stages are usually partially coordinated. This study has demonstrated the application of collostructional analysis in investigating diachronic semantic change of a construction.

Profiling the multifaceted identities among multilingual Tibetan college students learning Chinese and English in Xizang

ABSTRACT Language identity has a significant effect on language learning. However, the complex and multifaceted language identities of multilingual learners, especially those from ethnic minority groups such as Tibetan learners in China, remain underexplored. Using Q methodology, this study examined the construction of Chinese, English, and multilingual identities among 48 Tibetan students (25 English majors, 23 non-English majors) studying at a college in Xizang. Five distinct identity profiles emerged: two for the English majors and three for the non-English majors. The results revealed Tibetan students’ strong identification with Chinese and pragmatic views of English and multilingual competencies, especially in terms of career advancement. Further, some students from both groups constructed a general multilingual identity beyond any individual language, in contrast to some non-English majors, who had a more passive outlook toward English and multilingualism due to limited confidence and/or interest in language learning. The findings underscore the need for nuanced language education strategies tailored to diverse identity profiles. The implications of enhancing multilingual education in Xizang and other similar contexts are provided.

Construction 4.0 technology and lean construction ambidexterity capability in China’s construction industry: a sociotechnical systems perspective

Purpose This study aims to explore the level of adoption of Construction 4.0 (C4.0) technologies and of Lean Construction (LC) ambidexterity capability in China’s construction industry. By incorporating C4.0 and LC ambidexterity into a sociotechnical systems (STS) framework, this research provides practical insights for construction practitioners and companies seeking C4.0 and LC. Design/methodology/approach The study adopts the questionnaire survey method. Data was obtained from Chinese construction professionals working on projects using C4.0 technologies. The data were analysed using mean score ranking and three nonparametric techniques, including the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and the Spearman rank correlation. Findings According to the ranking analysis, building information modelling and offsite construction have the highest adoption level, while additive manufacturing and blockchain rank lowest. Digital technology is more widely used in China’s construction industry than in physical technology. Many C4.0 technologies are significantly correlated with LC ambidexterity. Based on the STS perspective, we propose a holistic approach that incorporates C4.0 technologies and LC ambidexterity. Originality/value Conceptually, the study incorporates C4.0 and LC ambidexterity into the STS framework. Empirically, this study fills the gap in the current literature by exploring the level of C4.0 technology adoption in the Chinese construction industry, as well as the level of LC ambidexterity capabilities. Construction companies can use this framework to make strategic decisions regarding investments in LC practices and the adoption of C4.0 technologies, such as investing in staff skill training and new technology deployment to adapt to the ever-changing environment.

The Cross-Cutting Effects of Age Expectation and Safety Value on Construction Worker Safety Behavior: A Multidimensional Analysis

This research investigates how age expectation (AE) influences construction worker safety behavior (CWSB) by utilizing self-validation theory (SVT). Using structural equation modeling (SEM) and data from 391 Chinese construction workers, we found that components of AE, such as physical health expectation (PHE), mental health expectation (MHE), and cognitive function expectation (CFE), positively impact CWSB. Safety value (SV), including safety risk perception (SRP) and safety attitude (SA), mediates these effects. The study provides theoretical insights and practical guidance for enhancing CWSB through interventions on AE, supporting sustainable growth and workforce quality in the construction industry.

A Bayesian network model integrating organizational, individual and psychological factors for strengthening construction worker safety behavior

Objectives. Construction worker safety behavior (CWSB) may be affected by a confluence of multilevel and interrelated factors. Cultivating and maintaining CWSB is vital for improving construction safety. Current studies focus on organization-level or individual-level CWSB antecedents. However, few studies have examined the influence of psychological factors on CWSB, thereby reducing the joint effects of multilevel factors on CWSB. Methods. To determine effective strategies for strengthening CWSB, this study adopted the Bayesian network technique to explore the interrelationships between CWSB and its antecedent factors. A Bayesian belief network model was developed and trained with data collected from Chinese construction workers, which connected organizational, individual and psychological factors with CWSB. Results. According to the sensitivity analysis, safety knowledge, safety climate and psychological capital are the three most significant influencing factors for CWSB. A combined strategy that enhances safety knowledge, safety climate and communication competence simultaneously is the most effective option for strengthening CWSB. The validation and robustness of the network showed good accuracy for safety behavior judgment. Conclusion. This study proposes an alternative way to improve safety behavior by identifying its interactive causes and illustrates the importance of initiating systematic safety measures, which may help to mitigate the problem of safety plateau.

Analysis of the Chinese Construction Industry Features and Trends of Development

Analysis of the Chinese Construction Industry Features and Trends of Development