UK Construction Research Articles

Culture change in the UK construction industry: an anthropological perspective

Culture change in the UK construction industry: an anthropological perspective

Project-oriented strategic management of UK construction firms – towards corporate diversification: critical literature review

PurposeThe paper analyses the strategic management strategies of UK Construction Contracting Firms (CCFs) and their impact on the industry, highlighting their fragmentation, high-risk, low-profit nature and low profit returns. It suggests proactive strategies for sustainable growth and explores the potential of corporate diversification.Design/methodology/approachUtilising a thematic critical literature review, specific inclusion/exclusion criteria are used to select relevant literature together with a thematic qualitative synthesis data analysis approach to identify trends and challenges.FindingsUK CCFs primarily use reactive and project-based strategic management, which may not align with long-term success due to market volatility, reactive supply, fragmentation, high competition and lack of differentiation. The short-term business cycle makes medium- to long-term strategy development difficult. It is recommended that CCFs adopt proactive strategic management and consider corporate diversification for enhanced competitiveness, stability and performance. Although there are conflicting findings on the impact of diversification on firm performance, this research suggests that it is a viable strategy for achieving enhanced firm performance and competitive advantage.Research limitations/implicationsThe importance of proactive corporate strategies for CCFs is emphasised to overcome industry challenges, promote sustainable growth and enhance competitiveness. Corporate diversification, cultural transformation, management qualifications promotion and talent development collaboration are advocated, providing valuable insights for practitioners, policymakers and researchers.Practical implicationsThe practical implications of this research involve fostering a shift towards proactive and dynamic strategic management in the UK construction industry, addressing the historical neglect of broader strategic perspectives and empowering practitioners and academics to drive positive change and innovation within the sector.Social implicationsThe social implications of this research encompass the potential to enhance the overall efficiency, sustainability and collaborative dynamics within the UK construction industry, which can ultimately contribute to improved infrastructure development and the well-being of communities.Originality/valueProject-driven strategic management in the UK construction industry is explored, questioning the reactive approach used by CCFs. It provides insights, best practices and improvement areas, emphasising diversification, proactive corporate strategies, cultural shifts and industry improvement, spanning theory, practice and theory.

Use of Focus Groups and Reflexive Thematic Analysis to Uncover the Essential Conditions for UK Built Environment Degree Apprenticeships

ABSTRACT Degree Apprenticeships within UK Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) organizations present a raft of unprecedented opportunities. However, little is understood on precisely how AEC Employer Organizations (EO’s) truly engage with Higher Education Institutions (HEI’s) in order to create “meaningful” Built Environment Degree Apprenticeships. Understanding this challenge and minutia of this engagement forms the starting trajectory of this work. To do this, and informed by Boundary Object Theory, an interpretivist approach was used to capture qualitative data from transdisciplinary focus groups – representing domain experts from AEC/HEI sector bodies. Primary data was evaluated using reflexive thematic analysis. An integrated inductive/deductive approach was used to examine nuance, subjectivity, understanding and meaning. Research findings culminate in the form of a thematic map, highlighting four essential conditions to support the delivery of UK AEC DA’s; specifically, the need for: (i) Onboarding, (ii) Structure (iii) Cooperation, and, (iv) Infrastructure. These findings identified that the knowledge needed to support engagement goes beyond existing acknowledged boundaries – ergo, that the corollary impact of these essential conditions require much deeper understanding than first thought. These findings form part of a wider study, the results of which will be reported in later works.

The Effects of Moral Intensity and Moral Disengagement on Rule Violations: Occupational Safety in UK-based Construction Work During the COVID-19 Pandemic

AbstractWe take an ethics theory perspective to examine rule violations and workarounds in the UK construction industry in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The UK construction sector remained largely operational during lockdowns in the UK, providing an opportunity to explore the ways in which construction workers made ethical decisions in situ, related to health and safety at work, and COVID-19 rules. We conducted 22 semi-structured interviews with participants from 11 organisations (3 major construction companies and 8 subcontractors) during November 2021 to January 2022. Our qualitative analysis focused on coding responses based on the use of moral disengagement tactics, and the dimensions of moral intensity (magnitude of consequences, social consensus, probability of effect, temporal immediacy, proximity and, concentration of effect). We found instances of ethical dilemmas, including conflicts between compliance with organisational health and safety rules, and following COVID-19 rules. Our analysis showed that rule violations were often justified based on moral disengagement tactics, particularly cognitive reconstrual, obscuring personal agency, disregarding consequences and vilification of the victims. Furthermore, moral intensity played a significant role in making ethical decisions about violating rules. Moral intensity was most influential (across dimensions) for moral disengagement based on cognitive reconstrual (e.g., justifications for choosing to follow one set of rules over another). Social context was highly influential in workers’ ethical decisions, including organisational and group social norms, but wider societal attitudes towards the COVID-19 pandemic, also played a significant role. We discuss the implications for business ethics theory, policy and practice, including recommendations for businesses and policymakers.

The comparative inclusion and acceptance of LGBT+ people in the UK construction industry

The Equality Act of 2010 forbids discrimination based on gender and sexual identity; however, many lesbians, gay, bisexual, transgender, nonbinary and people with gender expressions outside traditional norms (LGBT+) working in the UK construction industry experience hostility in the workplace. There has been a lack of research that focuses on LGBT+ professionals in construction, so this study investigates the topic and looks at how acceptance varies across different groups under the LGBT+ umbrella. The research uses thematic analysis to probe in depth the experience of 11 LGBT+ interviewees working in the UK construction sector. The study finds that majority of the LGBT+ employees have experienced some prejudice, each group in a unique way. Bisexual, trans and nonbinary people experience more discrimination than Lesbian and Gay people. Acceptance depends on workplace context. The respondents perceive construction sites more linked to harassment, discrimination and inappropriate comments toward the LGBT+ community than office environments. The visibility of senior LGBT+ employees and leadership of both LGBT+ and non-LGBT+ senior management are important for inclusion in organisations and for supporting junior LGBT+ employees. This study contributes to understanding of LGBT+ acceptance and raises issues that need to be addressed in the industry, challenging heteronormative culture.

Sources of occupational stress in UK construction projects: an empirical investigation and agenda for future research

Sources of occupational stress in UK construction projects: an empirical investigation and agenda for future research

Mapping the Complexity of Legal Challenges for Trustworthy Drones on Construction Sites in the United Kingdom

Drones, unmanned aircraft controlled remotely and equipped with cameras, have seen widespread deployment across military, industrial, and commercial domains. The commercial sector, in particular, has experienced rapid growth, outpacing regulatory developments due to substantial financial incentives. The UK construction sector exemplifies a case where the regulatory framework for drones remains unclear. This article investigates the state of UK legislation on commercial drone use in construction through a thematic analysis of peer-reviewed literature. Four main themes, including opportunities, safety risks, privacy risks, and the regulatory context, were identified along with twenty-one sub-themes such as noise and falling materials. Findings reveal a fragmented regulatory landscape, combining byelaws, national laws, and EU regulations, creating business uncertainty. Our study recommends the establishment of specific national guidelines for commercial drone use, addressing uncertainties and building public trust, especially in anticipation of the integration of “autonomous” drones. This research contributes to the responsible computing domain by uncovering regulatory gaps and issues in UK drone law, particularly within the often-overlooked context of the construction sector. The insights provided aim to inform future responsible computing practices and policy development in the evolving landscape of commercial drone technology.

Briefing: Safety observation reporting in the UK construction industry: what is it good for?

This study examined the use of safety observation reporting (SOR) systems and their implementation within the UK construction industry. Although SOR systems have been widely adopted by many large engineering contractors, the further benefits gained from their utilisation are unclear. Existing systems have an ‘after-the-fact’ nature, and a lack of clarity exists surrounding how information derived from the system can proactively contribute to safety interventions. The research design employed a case study as the foundation, examining the use of an SOR system within a leading infrastructure contractor. Subsequently, semi-structured interviews were conducted with six participants from the case study company, with thematic analysis used to develop findings. Initial suggestions for guidance were produced before these were presented for validation by two representatives from the initial six participants and a further three respondents from two different contracting companies. The feedback and suggestions from these refined and increased the applicability of the resulting recommendations, which aim to give consistent categorisation, greater access to information developed and the facilitation of improved communication of learnings. This research contributes insights into the complexities of SOR systems and offers practical guidance for their enhancement.

The engagement of the UK construction industry towards achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals

Purpose The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a blueprint for UN member states to achieve prosperity and peace. A resilient construction industry should positively contribute to the achievement of all SDGs. Yet it is currently unclear if the industry helps or hinders SDG achievement. This research aims to explore if the industry is positively engaging with all SDGs.Design/methodology/approach This research is split into two phases. The first is an objectivist Qualitative Content Analysis (QCA) of sustainability reports from the ten leading UK contractors to identify direct and indirect SDG references. The second research phase adopts a subjectivist ontological position consisting of twenty-one semi-structured interviews with a range of construction industry project-based professionals. Narrative analysis is used to structure the interview questions and analyse the data gained.Findings Many SDGs are excluded from sustainability reports, and where discussed, only some are engaged with substantially. The SDG knowledge held by construction professionals is reduced further still, and SDG progress is rarely measured. The ambiguity surrounding the SDGs enables discrepancies between reporting and professional perceptions. There is also a lack of regard for fellow contractor collaboration through fear of reduced competitive advantage.Originality/value This paper addresses a gap in the literature between contractor SDG knowledge and action. This serves as a platform for future research agendas regarding how the SDGs can be better understood and actioned in a construction management context. For industry, inconsistencies between organisational sustainability reporting and the knowledge and awareness of staff are exposed, due to the lack of collaborative practices currently adopted.

The impact of COVID-19 on the financial performance of the UK construction firms

The COVID-19 outbreak was deemed a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO), and the associated travel restrictions led to an unprecedented fall in the UK economic growth including the construction sector. Nevertheless, few quantitative studies assessing the impact of COVID-19 on the UK construction sector have been conducted as of now. So, this research aims to quantitatively assess the COVID-19 pandemic’s effects and causally evaluate its influence on the UK construction industry. We utilize panel data comprising financial information from listed UK construction firms spanning from 2015 to 2021. The findings reveal a substantial adverse impact of COVID-19 on business performance, with a notable improvement in performance in 2021 compared to 2020. It also proves that the supply chain disruption, labour shortage, and financial dilemma are the main reasons for the negative effect of COVID-19 in 2020 and 2021, and increased vaccination rate, domestic policy changes, and potential for construction development are the possible reasons for the 2021 recovery. Despite the gradual easing of the epidemic situation, the construction industry must enhance its resilience to sudden disasters to effectively facilitate a robust economic recovery. It is essential to further examine the economic fluctuations caused by the pandemic emergency and the mechanisms for its recovery.

A Systematic Review of the Socio-Legal Dimensions of Responsible AI and Its Role in Improving Health and Safety in Construction

Integrating artificial intelligence (AI) in the construction industry could revolutionise workplace safety and efficiency. However, this integration also carries complex socio-legal implications that require further investigation. Presently, there is a research gap in the socio-legal dimensions of AI use to enhance health and safety regulations and protocols for the construction sector in the United Kingdom, particularly in understanding how the existing legal frameworks can adapt to AI integration effectively. Comprehensive research is indispensable to identify where the existing regulations may fall short or require more specificity in addressing the unique implications introduced by AI technologies. This article aims to address the pressing socio-legal challenges surrounding the integration of AI in the UK construction industry, specifically in enhancing health and safety protocols on construction sites, through a systematic review encompassing the PRISMA protocol. The review has identified that the existing legal and regulatory framework provides a strong foundation for risk management. Still, it needs to sufficiently account for the socio-legal dimensions introduced by AI deployment and how AI may evolve in the future. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) will require standardised authorities to effectively oversee the use of AI in the UK construction industry. This will enable the HSE to collect data related to AI processes and carry out technical, empirical, and governance audits. The provision of sufficient resources and the empowerment of the HSE within the context of the construction industry are critical factors that must be taken into consideration to ensure effective oversight of AI implementation.

Exploring the barriers to innovation adoption in the UK construction industry

AbstractThe UK construction industry is an important aspect of the UK economy; however, it is struggling to keep pace with wider economic growth and if it does not change it will not be able to keep up with demand. There is a gap between academia and practice, and little understanding of how to successfully innovate within the industry. Following a workshop with 25 construction industry professionals on the barriers to innovation in the construction industry, key themes were developed through thematic analysis including regulation, fragmentation and constant change.

Systems Thinking Interplay Between Project Complexities, Stakeholder Engagement, and Social Dynamics Roles in Influencing Construction Project Outcomes

Construction projects are fraught with the challenges of cost overruns, schedule deviations, and not meeting expectations. Underlying these failures are factors related to complexity, stakeholder management, and external social dynamics. The literature review highlighted research gaps, leading to conceptualizing the research aim. The study explored the roles of project complexity, stakeholder engagement, and social dynamics in the UK construction project management sector. A survey research strategy combining qualitative interview questions was employed to extract data from project professionals across the UK. Convenience sampling resulted in a high response rate from seventy-three (73) participants across the UK. Four main themes emerged: project complexity and lessons learned; stakeholder engagement and social climate; project failures and conflicts; and project success. System thinking causal loop diagramming was applied in amalgamating implications drawn from the findings. The implications noted that challenges in governance, regulation, and legislation, coupled with stringent cost and schedule targets, added to project complexity, effective stakeholder engagement, clear communication, and understanding of social contexts were crucial for project success where complexities of stakeholders and social dynamics proved difficult.

Framework for the UK construction industry transition to net zero design: a Delphi techniques and structural equation model approach

The shift towards net zero design for the construction industry poses complex challenges, which can be likened to a three-headed hydra embodying energy, water, and carbon emissions. The industry stakeholders have grappled with addressing the challenges due to an ineffective reductionist approach that targets each head (energy, water, and carbon) separately. Recognizing their interdependence, this study proposes a holistic panacea approach to facilitate the industry’s transition to net zero design. This was achieved using a mixed (quantitative and qualitative) research methodology. The qualitative study was conducted using a three-stage Delphi technique involving 13 experts. Structural equation modeling was used for the quantitative involving 200 construction stakeholders selected randomly. The study discovered that net-zero design integrates sustainability concepts, such as net-zero energy, water, and carbon aimed at ensuring a sustainable built environment. Factors like innovation, organizational culture, and construction project management were identified as pivotal in steering the construction industry toward net zero design. The transition to net zero design can be impeded by poor cost management and restrictive organizational cultures. The study recommended that stakeholders in the construction industry should embrace a culture that supports the commitment to net zero design.

Sustainability assessment frameworks for delivering Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) targets: A case of Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) UK New Construction

AbstractDue to the potential role of the construction industry in addressing the global challenge of climate change, stakeholders are beginning to develop the environmental, social and governance (ESG) framework. Prior to this, several assessment frameworks such as the building research establishment environmental assessment methods (BREEAM), LEED, and Green Star Certification amongst others have evolved to evaluate a development against an array of sustainability indicators. Through document analysis, this paper explores the extent sustainability assessment frameworks can help UK construction companies demonstrate their commitment to ESG targets. Findings show that although the BREEAM assessment framework captured environmental and social aspects to some extent, there appears to be much desired in its consideration for governance issues. Subsequent versions of the assessment frameworks should attempt to include some of these credits that are not currently included in the framework to guarantee stakeholders that the uptake of the framework in the decision‐making process would help to deliver ESG targets.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Health and Safety Practices in Reducing Workplace Risk: A Case Study of Thomas Armstrong (Holdings) Limited Company, United Kingdom

This research aimed to examine and evaluate the influence of leadership on the effectiveness of health and safety practices to reduce workplace risks in construction companies. Thomas Armstrong (Holdings) Limited, was used as a case study. A literature review has been carried out to determine the effectiveness of health and safety processes in UK construction companies. The research results show that some of these health and safety practices have failed in construction companies due to negligence from the management. Poor leadership and improper supervision have contributed a lot to failures in health and safety practices. As such, most construction companies cannot avoid injuries in their companies. The most common injuries in construction companies are those related to the mechanical operation, concretes, excavation, and blasting process. Due to confidentiality in data, the research tries to compare and evaluate health and safety practices in UK construction companies about Thomas Armstrong (Holdings) Limited. The final result shows that leadership plays a significant role in health and safety practices for reducing workplace risks. Division of labour (responsibility) plays an important role too. The managers are the head who must evaluate potential risks and find a solution to resolve them. The role of supervisors is to guide, supervise, and advise employees about possible risks. They also have the responsibility of risk assessment and recording. They have to provide all the training and necessary skills required for employees to perform their duties effectively.

Projects as a speciation and aggregation mechanism in transitions: Bridging project management and transitions research in the digitalization of UK architecture, engineering, and construction industry.

Sociotechnical transitions are mostly seen in the literature as processes where actors and technologies in small niches peripheral to an organizational field, accumulate momentum, scale up, aggregate, and eventually bring about large-scale regime change. Foundational examples include the British transition from sailing ships to steamships and the American transition from traditional factories to mass production. Herein lies a paradox, transitions concern large scale system change for example transition to electric cars or renewable energy, but large-scale options for technological change driven by incumbents have received less attention in transitions research. This is an important opportunity for transition research to draw on the literature of project management research on large-scale projects. We bridge transitions research and project management research by exploring speciation and aggregation from both perspectives. We illustrate how this bridge may be instantiated drawing on published research and interviews on six megaprojects that have been instrumental in the digital transformation of UK construction: (i) the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, (ii) Heathrow Terminal 5, (iii) London Olympics, (iv) Crossrail, (v) Thames Tideway and (vi) High Speed Two. The speciation of digital technology seeds the process of aggregation and UK industry transition which is driven by incumbents at the organizational field core and ripples outward to its periphery. This is a reverse process to the one mostly considered in transition research where change initiates in small niches peripheral to an organizational field and propagates until it eventually brings about large-scale change to its core.

Anti-trafficking Chains: Analyzing the Impact of Transparency Legislation in the UK Construction Sector

A recurring conundrum lies at the heart of current anti-trafficking law and policy. Despite enormous efforts by civil society organizations, corporations, and governments to reduce human trafficking in supply chains, and the introduction of legislation in various countries that requires corporations to take active actions in this field, there is wide agreement that, so far, the desired change has not occurred. This article addresses this puzzle through studying the vibrant anti-trafficking activity in the UK construction sector that emerged following the enactment of the UK Modern Slavery Act 2015 (MSA). Applying socio-legal methods, the article unpacks the structural dynamics that shape the implementation of the MSA in the construction sector. We find that the Act exacerbates the imbalanced power relations between firms and anti-trafficking initiatives, positioning the latter as suppliers of modern slavery risk solutions that are dependent on corporate will and funding. The article demonstrates that anti-trafficking initiatives in the construction sector largely follow a “supply chain logic” that significantly limits their capacities to transform corporate behavior. We develop the notion of “anti-trafficking chains” to describe the dynamics of anti-trafficking activities in supply chains and to problematize the entanglement of anti-trafficking actors in supply chain power structure and logic.

Contractors’ carbon reduction behaviour: UK construction professionals’ perspective

Purpose The decisions of contractors could impact the reduction of construction carbon footprint. These decisions are linked to the belief of contractors which equally affects how they behave while delivering projects. This study aims to investigate the behavioural tendencies of contractors that could lead to carbon minimisation during the execution of construction projects. Design/methodology/approach An industry survey was performed amongst 41 UK construction professionals. Spearman’s correlation and factor analysis were used to analyse the data. Findings The result of the Spearman’s correlation gave rise to 14 contractors’ carbon reduction behaviour (CCRB) variables and their factor analysis yielded two distinct factors, namely, contractors’ consummate carbon reduction behaviour and contractors’ pragmatic carbon reduction behaviour. The findings suggest that in the UK, contractors are willing to take voluntary practical steps to decrease the carbon footprint of construction projects. Practical implications This finding might be unexpected to construction stakeholders, especially construction clients who may believe that infusing strict carbon reduction obligations in contracts is sufficient in nudging contractors to lessen the carbon impact of projects. Originality/value The study attempted to quantitatively derive CCRB, thereby extending the breadth of knowledge in the construction carbon reduction domain.

Help-seeking intentions of UK construction workers: a cross-sectional study.

In response to the high rates of poor mental health in the construction industry, numerous workplace interventions have been designed to address the known and suspected risk factors to employee mental health and well-being. A key challenge of these strategies is low engagement in support services. The goals of this research were to investigate the help-seeking intentions of employees in the construction industry, explore levels of mental well-being in this population and provide insight into employee engagement with mental health support strategies. Employees from two UK construction companies completed an online cross-sectional questionnaire (n = 119), designed to measure help-seeking intentions, levels of mental well-being and worker attitudes towards workplace mental health support strategies. One-third of the sample reported experiencing an episode of mental health difficulties in the past 6 months. Employees reported a greater preference for seeking support from informal versus formal help sources. Participants were most likely to seek help from a partner and least likely to seek help from a Mental Health First Aider/ Champion. The study also showed some association between help-seeking intention and age of employees. Given the poor levels of mental well-being in this population, it is essential that adequate workplace support is provided. Whilst formal help sources are important for this population, our study highlights the potential benefits of informal help sources to support employees. Future interventions may therefore wish to consider developing tailored, informal workplace support networks and programmes.