Government pandemic response strategies for AEC enterprises: lessons from COVID-19
Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology
ISSN: 1726-0531
Article publication date: 14 February 2022
Issue publication date: 23 April 2024
Abstract
Purpose
Policymakers are developing government-level pandemic response strategies (GPRS) to assist architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) enterprises. However, the effectiveness of the GPRS has not been assessed. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the interrelationships between GPRS and AEC enterprises. To achieve that aim, the study objectives are to compare GPRS effectiveness between small-medium and large AEC enterprises, develop groupings to categorize interrelated GPRS and evaluate the effectiveness of the GPRS and interrelated constructs.
Design/methodology/approach
A systematic literature review and semi-structured interviews with 40 AEC industry professionals were carried out, generating 22 GPRS. Then, questionnaire survey data was collected among AEC professionals. In total, 114 valid survey answers were received and analyzed using the Kruskal–Wallis H test, normalized mean analysis, factor analysis and fuzzy synthetic evaluation.
Findings
Small-medium enterprises have four distinct critical GPRS: “form a special task force to provide support in maneuvering COVID-19,” “provide infrastructure investment budgets to local governments,” “develop employee assistance programs that fit all types of working groups” and “diversify existing supply chain.” Large enterprises have two distinct critical GPRS: “provide help in digitalizing existing construction projects” and “mandate COVID-19 as force majeure.” Eighteen GPRS can be categorized into the following five constructs: “market stability and financial aid,” “enterprise capability management,” “supply chain improvement,” “law and policy resources” and “information and workforce management.” The former two constructs are more effective than other GPRS constructs.
Originality/value
This is the first paper that evaluates the effectiveness of GPRS for AEC enterprises, providing new evidence to policymakers for well-informed decision-making in developing pandemic response strategies.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia, through the Post COVID-19 Special Research Grant Scheme [RDU200705]. The authors would like to thank the editors and anonymous reviewers whose invaluable comments and suggestions substantially improved the paper. The authors are also thankful to the industry practitioners that participated in this work.
Citation
Zamani, S.H., Rahman, R.A., Fauzi, M.A. and Mohamed Yusof, L. (2024), "Government pandemic response strategies for AEC enterprises: lessons from COVID-19", Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology, Vol. 22 No. 3, pp. 690-717. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEDT-10-2021-0540
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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