The impact of COVID-19 on construction supply chain management: an Australian case study

Abstract

Purpose

Effective maintenance of construction supply chains is paramount to business continuity during the pandemic. Focusing on a large private Australian construction company, this research aims to investigate to what extent the current pandemic has affected the daily operations of this company. This research touches on the broader effect on the industry, while it narrows the focus on how effective construction supply chain management can minimise a pandemic's negative impact on a company. The critical question will be how private contractors that primarily rely on social infrastructure projects can fortify their supply chains and general operations during the global pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

A mixed qualitative and quantitative approach is employed in this research. Based on literature review and question design, data is collected through interviews with various stakeholders. Moreover, operation data is also collected from the case company to support the results and findings.

Findings

The respondents have generally agreed that the case company has effectively managed its supply chains to this point of the pandemic through the implementation of supply chain monitoring processes and maintaining stable relationships with stakeholders. This is supported by the operation data of the case company.

Originality/value

This is timely-conducted research, and it is original research with invaluable operation data. This case study is conducted during a pandemic and provides lessons learned for global supply chain management in the post-pandemic period.

Citation

Sutterby, P., Wang, X., Li, H.X. and Ji, Y. (2023), "The impact of COVID-19 on construction supply chain management: an Australian case study", Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, Vol. 30 No. 8, pp. 3098-3122. https://doi.org/10.1108/ECAM-10-2021-0942