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1 – 10 of over 2000
Article
Publication date: 25 January 2021

Le Ma, Henry Liu and Michael Sing

This study aims to address the gap by empirically exploring how residential construction-production progress, which includes project commencement, under-construction and project…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to address the gap by empirically exploring how residential construction-production progress, which includes project commencement, under-construction and project completion, responds dynamically to fluctuations in house prices.

Design/methodology/approach

A vector autoregressive model and an impulse response function are applied to simulate and analyse the circle of the stage-responsiveness of residential construction to residential property price dynamics in the state of Victoria, Australia. The quarterly numbers of dwelling units commenced, under-construction and completed are used as the proxy for the residential construction activities at three stages over the construction progress.

Findings

The analysis indicates that the dynamics are essentially transmitted throughout the construction process and can substantially impact the pace of production progress. The findings from this study provide an empirical base that should be useful in developing price-elasticity and production theories applicable to the context of residential property construction.

Research limitations/implications

The findings described above have been generated basically by examining the case of Victoria, Australia at a macro level. The generalisation of the research output needs to be verified further by future researchers using data collected from other regions/countries. Nevertheless, the reliability of the conclusions with particular practical implications can be substantially improved by future researchers by analysing more markets and production proxies at the activity level.

Practical implications

Based on new empirical findings, this research argues that building activity (i.e. under construction) played as a gateway between the construction and housing sectors, via which the inter-responsiveness of the housing supply in terms of construction activities and housing prices are transmitted.

Originality/value

This research firstly attempts to explore the inter-responsiveness between the real estate and construction sectors. A simulated circle of the stage-responsiveness of residential construction to residential property price dynamics is proposed, which can serve as a significant foundation for developing the theory of construction production.

Details

International Journal of Housing Markets and Analysis, vol. 14 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-8270

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 July 2020

Dan Wang, Xueqing Wang, Mingshuai Liu, Henry Liu and Bingsheng Liu

The performance of public–private partnerships (PPPs) can be determined by a variety of factors, i.e. influencing factors (IFs). This study is undertaken for a purpose of…

Abstract

Purpose

The performance of public–private partnerships (PPPs) can be determined by a variety of factors, i.e. influencing factors (IFs). This study is undertaken for a purpose of identifying how such factors determine the project's performance (i.e. factor transmission patterns), particularly from the key stakeholders' perspectives.

Design/methodology/approach

A hybrid approach, which comprises a Social Network Analysis, ISM (i.e. Interpretive Structural Modeling) and an improved DEMATEL (i.e. Decision-Making Trail and Evaluation Laboratory), was developed to analyze the causal relationships between the identified IFs as well as the transmission patterns of their impacts on PPPs. Data were collected from interviews and questionnaire surveys.

Findings

The transmission patterns of the identified IFs cascade from project environment and features and stakeholders' relationship to the project company capabilities and project process. It is identified that the public authority has a higher level than that of the private entity in PPPs.

Research limitations/implications

It lacks longitudinal studies to investigate the dynamics of PPP stakeholder relationships and social networks. Future research needs to explore the transmission patterns of sub-factors affecting PPP performance and extend the applicability of the developed hybrid approach.

Practical implications

This research provides practitioners with a robust tool that is useful for and insights into enhancing the management of lifecycle performance. It ensures the public authorities and private entities embarking on PPPs will make an informed decision about the monitoring of the life cycle performance.

Originality/value

This study contributes to knowledge of managerial mechanisms that can be adopted to manage factors determining the performance of PPPs. It enables an understanding of stakeholders' roles in driving the life cycle performance of PPPs.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. 28 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 28 June 2021

Dan Wang, Xueqing Wang, Lu Wang, Henry J. Liu and Xiajie Jia

The purpose of this study is for examining the evolution of stakeholder influence and the trans-period effect (TPE) of process performance of public–private partnerships (PPPs)…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is for examining the evolution of stakeholder influence and the trans-period effect (TPE) of process performance of public–private partnerships (PPPs). TPE refers to the ripple effect of project performance across different phases of a PPP.

Design/methodology/approach

Social network analysis is used to analyze each stakeholder’s influence on PPP performance. For examining the TPE, partial least squares structural equation modelling is conducted.

Findings

The performance in the five phases (e.g. initiation and planning, procurement, construction, operation and transition) of PPPs exhibits significant TPE. The stakeholder network varies in different phases. The most influential stakeholder is a public authority, followed by a public initiator and a private consortium.

Research limitations/implications

The project type of PPPs is not considered in the stakeholder network analysis. Future work should focus on developing a multidimensional stakeholder network by considering the typology of the project. Moreover, the TPE cannot reflect the relationships between the KPIs in the different phases, and thus, further study is required.

Practical implications

This research provides a useful tool for measuring the life cycle outputs and outcomes of PPPs through enhanced process-oriented performance measurement. The developed PMS enable practitioners to have a better understanding of the process performance of the projects and then ensure informed decision-making about actions to be required and taken to improve future performance.

Originality/value

This study contributes to knowledge of performance management by simultaneously addressing the process and stakeholder management theories within the context of PPPs. The proposed PMS provides an insight into managing stakeholders’ influences to enhance the life cycle performance of PPPs.

Details

International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, vol. 72 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1741-0401

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 15 December 2022

Cong Wang, Henry Liu, Michael C.P. Sing and Jin Wu

Pre-construction of a project comprises stages that are pivotal for the procurement performance. It is defined as the duration from the project's initiation to construction…

Abstract

Purpose

Pre-construction of a project comprises stages that are pivotal for the procurement performance. It is defined as the duration from the project's initiation to construction. However, Private Public Partnerships (PPPs) have been subjected to a long pre-construction, thereby leading to an inefficient development process. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to pay attention to the influencing factors elongating the pre-construction duration.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on data of 5,677 PPP projects between 2009 and 2021 in China, the authors adopt the Accelerated Failure Time (AFT) model in duration analysis to empirically analyze the following underlying dynamics determining the duration of PPP pre-construction stages: (1) policy uncertainty; (2) corruption; and (3) procurement method selection. To observe the influencing paths more specifically, the authors divided the pre-construction duration into the pre-tendering period and tendering period and regressed them separately.

Findings

The results indicate that the pre-construction duration is significantly prolonged with increased policy uncertainty and corruption degree as well as the use of tendering methods. Meanwhile, the above factors have a greater impact on the pre-tendering period than the tendering period.

Originality/value

The contribution of this study is twofold: (1) theoretically, this paper provides new evidence on the impact of PPP policy uncertainty, corruption and procurement method selection on the pre-construction duration. It complements empirical studies on the factors elongating the time efficiency of PPPs projects. (2) In practice, it provides a specific path for the government to improve the time efficiency of PPPs.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. 31 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 May 2020

Jin Wu, Henry J. Liu, Michael C.P. Sing, Richard Humphrey and Jianfeng Zhao

This paper investigates the policy changes made towards infrastructure public–private partnerships (PPPs). The purpose of this study is to empirically identify the policy risks…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper investigates the policy changes made towards infrastructure public–private partnerships (PPPs). The purpose of this study is to empirically identify the policy risks associated with the development of PPPs and to assess their impacts on the projects.

Design/methodology/approach

A case study of the policy changes that have been implemented for PPPs in China over the past seven years has been undertaken and is presented in this study. The causal loop diagrams are applied to assess and illustrate the potential impacts of the risks as a result of such changes on PPPs.

Findings

A sequence of the policy risks, which relate to PPP risk allocation, contract management and implementation, payment and abatement mechanisms and financing, has been identified. It is also found that the identified risks will generate significant but negative impacts on PPPs, leading to an ineffective project delivery, low revenue, poor service quality and even contract breach.

Practical implications

This research provides the private-sector entities that will embark on PPPs with an insight into managing and controlling policy risks over the project's lifecycle.

Originality/value

PPPs have been critical for infrastructure development worldwide. Nevertheless, they have been a controversy, as many of them were subjected to poor outputs. Consequently, a variety of political mechanisms has been implemented to enhance the governance for PPPs. Policy can bring not only benefits but also risks and, however, policy risks of PPPs with a particular assessment for their potential impacts have received limited attention. Therefore, the study presented in this paper will contribute to the identification and assessment of policy risks within the context of PPPs.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. 27 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 April 2021

Hang Yin, Dan Wang, Yilin Yin, Henry Liu and Binchao Deng

This study aims to examine the impacts of formal and informal hierarchical governances (HGs) on the performance of mega-projects and the mediating role of contractor behavior…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine the impacts of formal and informal hierarchical governances (HGs) on the performance of mega-projects and the mediating role of contractor behavior (i.e. perfunctory and consummate behaviors) in these relationships.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 375 valid data entries from managers representing 375 mega-projects were analyzed through path analysis.

Findings

Both formal and informal HGs exert positive effects on the performance of mega-projects. While formal HG positively affects contractor perfunctory behavior and contractor consummate behavior, informal HG affects contractor perfunctory behavior only. Contractor behavior mediates the relationship between formal HG and project performance.

Research limitations/implications

The impacts of potential moderators (e.g. institutional arrangement and complexity) on the relationship between HG and contractor behavior have not been considered in this study.

Practical implications

This study is useful for owners to enhance formal HG to improve contractor perfunctory and consummate behaviors, which in turn can enhance the performance of mega-projects.

Originality/value

This study expands the knowledge of mega-project performance management from the perspective of HG. It also contributes to the literature of contractor behavior within the context of mega-projects.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. 29 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 September 2022

Bingsheng Liu, Juankun Li, Dan Wang, Henry Liu, Guangdong Wu and Jingfeng Yuan

This study aims to develop a collaborative governance framework (CGF) to systematically investigate the impeding factors (IFs) in terms of the operational sustainability of PPPs…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to develop a collaborative governance framework (CGF) to systematically investigate the impeding factors (IFs) in terms of the operational sustainability of PPPs. It examines the transmission pattern (i.e. the way in which network members react to each other) of the IFs network.

Design/methodology/approach

Literature review and interview were adopted to identify the IFs. Then, with the data collected from the interview in China, the social network analysis and interpretive structure model were synergised to examine the chain reaction, driving and dependent powers, and hierarchical structure of the identified IFs.

Findings

The results reveal that the cognition, institutional, financial and participation aspects are key barriers confronted by PPP sustainability, and the government plays a leading role in controlling factors causing sustainability-related problems in PPPs. Weak government leadership and institutional environment were identified as the most fundamental reasons triggering a chain of IFs, while project governance and management activities act as bridge nodes that play an intermediary role in the IFs network.

Research limitations/implications

This research contributes to the literature on PPP governance by (1) bridging the literature gap through the development of CGF for explaining the governance of PPP sustainability with a holistic view that considers both macro environment and operational project processes; and (2) identifying the transmission pattern of IFs network which uncovers the underlying dynamics causing the unsustainable operation of PPPs.

Practical implications

This research provides practitioners with a list of key checkpoints for preventing failure escalation, enables decision-makers to prioritise obstacle-mitigation efforts and develop a feasible process to control PPP operation, and offers management countermeasures to remove the key barriers impeding PPP sustainability.

Originality/value

This study is novel for adopting network-oriented techniques to quantify the relative importance of the IFs and examine the transmission pattern of the IFs system. Therefore, it visualises the complex underlying dynamics causing unsustainable PPP operation, identifies root and direct causes of PPP failures, and provides decision-makers with insights into sustaining PPP sustainability from a network-oriented perspective.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. 31 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 27 August 2021

Dan Wang, Xueqing Wang, Lu Wang, Henry Liu, Michael Sing and Bingsheng Liu

This study aims to develop a Stackelberg Game Model for seeking the optimal subsidy plans with varying levels of government financial capability (GFC). Furthermore, the…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to develop a Stackelberg Game Model for seeking the optimal subsidy plans with varying levels of government financial capability (GFC). Furthermore, the scenario-based analysis is conducted and will enable governments to identify a comprehensive subsidy plan as follows: improve project performance and optimise social welfare.

Design/methodology/approach

A Stackelberg Game Model is developed to optimise the effectiveness of subsidies on the performance of public-private partnerships (PPPs).

Findings

According to the scenarios that are generated from the model, governments that are confronting with limited public budgets could reduce the intensity of performance incentives and increase the participation-oriented subsidy. Whilst a participation-oriented subsidy can stimulate private organisations’ willingness to participate in infrastructure PPPs, a performance-oriented subsidy is capable of facilitating the projects’ performances. Intuitively, the performance-oriented subsidy enables the private entities of PPPs to improve their efforts on the projects to realise higher profits. However, the participation-oriented subsidy is unable to affect the level of their effort spent on the projects. To satisfy both parties’ expectations in a PPP, the performance-oriented subsidy needs to be prioritised for a purpose of enabling higher quality outputs.

Practical implications

The game model developed in this study contributes to the literature by offering new insight into the underlying mechanism of governments and private entities, in terms of their decision-making for subsidy planning and contributions (i.e. resource allocation and spending) during the life-cycle of PPPs. This research enriches the government subsidy model by revealing the effects of the GFC and clarifies the impacts of two different schemes of subsidy on the performance of PPPs.

Originality/value

The government has been conventionally viewed as being omnipotent to provide PPPs with a wide range of subsidies. However, the subsidies are not unlimited, due to GFC. In addressing this void, this study has modelled the impacts of government subsidy plans with a consideration of GFC-related constraints. The combined effects of the participation- and performance-oriented subsidies on the project performance of PPPs have been examined.

Details

Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology , vol. 21 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1726-0531

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 22 September 2022

Michael C.P. Sing, Sophie, Y.Y. Luk, Ken H.C. Chan, Henry J. Liu and Richard Humphrey

In Hong Kong, over 20,000 private residential buildings will be 50 plus years old by 2039. However, building maintenance has not been owners’ popular interest because of the high…

Abstract

Purpose

In Hong Kong, over 20,000 private residential buildings will be 50 plus years old by 2039. However, building maintenance has not been owners’ popular interest because of the high cost as well as the complexities in justifying whether the quantities and prices of the maintenance works are reasonable. This paper therefore aims to validate the practicality of adopting Scan-to-BIM: Terrestrial Laser Scan (TLS) and Building Information Modelling (BIM) to perform quantity take-offs (QTO) for estimating building maintenance costs.

Design/methodology/approach

A 64-year-old tenement building was selected to conduct a case study. In this instance, the building had undergone a Scan-to-BIM survey approach to generate QTO for the bills of quantities for external painting works. The Scan-to-BIM approach includes site visit, positioning of scanning equipment, assignment of circular scan routes, point cloud registration and identification of residual error. After that, time, cost and quality data were logged into contrast with QTO on as-built plans for external wall plastering works.

Findings

The “time”, “cost” and “quality” of the Scan-to BIM practice were then examined and compared with the prevailing practices of manual measurements on as-built drawings. As noted from the results, the initial cost of Scan-to BIM is high, owing to the cost of equipment, software and capable available operators. However, the authors identified that the time and cost can be significantly minimised by developing and implementing efficient practices such as preparing a detailed scan plan, equipping modeller with quantity surveying knowledge, using automated object recognition and 5D BIM software packages such as Vico Office and CostX.

Practical implications

The upshot is that Scan-to-BIM could be one of the measures to advance the clarity in the QTO and estimated price of the maintenance projects.

Originality/value

The practicability of Scan-to-BIM has received limited attention on existing building maintenance project. The Scan-to-BIM approach was examined using a case building of a 64-year-old tenement building. The approach demonstrated in this research study is promised to advance the clarity in the QTO and estimated price of maintenance project.

Details

International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2398-4708

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 September 2021

Michael Sing, Joseph Chan, Henry Liu and Nancy N.H. Ngai

Modular construction is considered a well-established construction method for improving the efficiency of the construction industry worldwide. However, the industry struggles to…

Abstract

Purpose

Modular construction is considered a well-established construction method for improving the efficiency of the construction industry worldwide. However, the industry struggles to achieve higher levels of modularisation in urban areas. Previous studies on decision-making for modularisation have, so far, not focussed much on its application in urban areas. As modular construction could bring lots of advantages such as speed of construction, This study aims to develop a decision-making tool that can assist the project planners in deciding whether the modular construction techniques should be applied in their urban area project.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the literature review, a total of 35 decision-making factors of modularisation were identified for this study. The decision-making model is then developed to evaluate the significance of each factor using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) approach. A total number of 72 valid responses were obtained and analysed. The geometric mean of priorities is adopted to obtain the par-wise comparison between the critical factors in which each factor’s weighting in the decision-making model is calculated. Afterwards, the robustness of the decision-making model is demonstrated by the real-life projects in China, Hong Kong and the UK, respectively.

Findings

A total of 35 decision-making factors allocated in five criteria for modular construction selection in urban areas were identified. The criteria include site attributes, project characteristics, labour consideration, environmental and organisation and project risk. Their impact was calculated using the AHP to indicate the relative importance with respect to the adoption of modularisation in urban areas. Afterwards, a two-level decision-making model was developed that can be used as a decision-making tool for the adoption of modular construction.

Practical implications

The outcome of this research will be beneficial to industrial practitioners and academics in understanding the critical attributes that affect the adoption of modular construction in an urban area. It further enables the building professionals to assess the feasibility of using modular construction in their projects, especially at the early stage, so as to facilitate its use.

Originality/value

There is a number of literature on the decision-making model on the adoption of modular construction. However, previous studies did not provide specific concerns related to urban areas, whereas there is an urgent need to have an updated analysis that can be catered to the modular construction in the urban area. In this research study, the 35 decision-making factors were ranked by the experienced project managers and then a pair-wise comparison was conducted. With this information, the robust decision-making model is formulated to offer a kept promised indicator in adopting modularisation in the urban area.

Details

Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology , vol. 21 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1726-0531

Keywords

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