Exploring the impact of social capitals and knowledge creation on construction firms performance in the COVID-19 era

Abstract

Purpose

Creativity and productivity are important factors for corporate and government institutions in the COVID-19 era. As a result, there is an urgent need to ensure that construction projects can recover adequately to survive potential surges or even potential epidemics. Therefore, this study aims to explore social capital by examining the effect/impact of knowledge creation on construction performance in the COVID-19 era.

Design/methodology/approach

A simple random sampling approach focused on Ghanaian construction firms was used. Completed responses were obtained and analyzed from employees who had tasks on sites. SmartPLS 3.3.3 and Statistical Package for Social Sciences v. 26 was used.

Findings

One key finding from this research was that construction firms with solid social capital built by their management staff are more connected and have better adaptive systems than firms with low capital. A company’s development programs must concentrate not only on the development of targeted or selective know-how and professional abilities but also on capacity creating, collaboration and knowledge creation and sharing among its employees.

Originality/value

Using this study’s findings, construction professionals can develop successful solutions to the COVID-19 epidemic and future emergencies. Additionally, the comprehensive exposition of the implications, constraints and preventive methods in this study may enable scholars to discover current gaps in the literature and investigate other elements of the pandemic’s influence on the construction industry.

Citation

Boamah, F.A., Zhang, J., Shehzad, M.U., , S. and Wen, D. (2024), "Exploring the impact of social capitals and knowledge creation on construction firms performance in the COVID-19 era", Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology, Vol. 22 No. 2, pp. 404-421. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEDT-10-2021-0569