Organizational performance: a study of China's large construction state owned enterprises

China's construction state-owned enterprises (SOEs) remain tormented by impotent long-term competitiveness and lack of knowledge about how to adapt to the market economy environment. This study investigates the interaction between firms' external environment, internal resources and competences, and organisational performance. By combining industrial/organisational theory and the resource-based view, this research explores the relations between large construction SOEs and their organisational performance under evolving environmental factors. The study uses structural equations modelling of questionnaire survey data to analyse the inter-relationships of the external environment and organisations' resources and competences. Internal resources and competences are important in determining SOEs' organisational performance

Enhancing commitment through work empowerment

Purpose – The research objectives are to investigate the perception of work empowerment of quantity surveyors and to determine whether perceived work empowerment is an antecedent of commitment. Design/methodology/approach – An exploratory study amongst quantity surveyors in four different types of construction industry organisations in Hong Kong is conducted. Data are collected by use of established questionnaires, yielding 136 valid responses. Findings – Organisational commitment comprises dimensions of effectiveness and continuance. It is found that when the perception of work empowerment increases, organisational commitment increases accordingly. Work empowerment is related to affective commitment rather than continuance commitment. Professional qualification and nationality are positively correlated with both dimensions of organisational commitment. Chinese chartered quantity surveyors show more commitment to their organisations. Generally, male QS shows less continuance commitment and the longer the QS has worked for the organisation (particularly in consultancy firms), the less continuance commitment one has. Originality/value – The regression analysis supports the relationship of commitment and work empowerment. Work empowerment enhances self-efficacy and, through motivation and commitment, leads to increased performance and effectiveness

The role of corporate citizenship values in promoting corporate social performance: towards a conceptual model and a research agenda

Performance of corporations, under the stakeholder approach, is not measured in financial terms only; modern corporations have significant responsibilities beyond those to their shareholders. A value‐laden concept such as sustainable construction, which emerges from a multi‐stakeholder perspective, involves participation of the whole supply chain and incorporates the notion of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Creating sustainable habitats has societal as well as economic implications. While the UK government’s Department of Trade and Industry is promoting CSR as a business contribution to sustainable development, many have argued that corporate citizenship takes shape at the point of government failure in the facilitation of citizen’s rights. Recent research demonstrates varying degrees of corporate social performance (CSP) in different sectors and there are differing relationships between CSP and innovation in the real estate and construction sectors. A conceptual model linking corporate citizenship values (CCV) and CSP through corporate behaviour (BCORP) from a CSR and stakeholder theory perspective is developed. The proposed model presents avenues for future research and represents a significant first step towards modelling the important link between CCV and CSP

The role of corporate citizenship values in promoting corporate social performance: towards a conceptual model and a research agenda

Performance of corporations, under the stakeholder approach, is not measured in financial terms only; modern corporations have significant responsibilities beyond those to their shareholders. A value‐laden concept such as sustainable construction, which emerges from a multi‐stakeholder perspective, involves participation of the whole supply chain and incorporates the notion of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Creating sustainable habitats has societal as well as economic implications. While the UK government’s Department of Trade and Industry is promoting CSR as a business contribution to sustainable development, many have argued that corporate citizenship takes shape at the point of government failure in the facilitation of citizen’s rights. Recent research demonstrates varying degrees of corporate social performance (CSP) in different sectors and there are differing relationships between CSP and innovation in the real estate and construction sectors. A conceptual model linking corporate citizenship values (CCV) and CSP through corporate behaviour (BCORP) from a CSR and stakeholder theory perspective is developed. The proposed model presents avenues for future research and represents a significant first step towards modelling the important link between CCV and CSP

Towards a modern construction contracts: parallel development in the UK and China

Disputes arise because of the opposition of interests, values or objectives when parties perceive that these are incompatible. In the construction industry, these differences in interests and objectives are illustrated by the multi-parties involvement in the project development process. These inherent potential conflicts are ideal for disputes to flourish and can be caused by poor communication and a lack of trust in the relationship between the parties. Most disputes arise out of the contract. The purpose of contract law is to formalise transactions. Contract planning accommodates this mechanism for dispute resolution and is viewed as a means of ‘gap-filling’ in the neo-classical contract system. The choice and form of contract can play a significant role in the governance of relationships between parties to a contract. Two processes are essential to contract planning, namely, defining goals (along with related costs of their attainment) and communication. It is suggested in the Latham Report of 1994, entitled “Constructing the Team” in the UK, that the construction industry should embrace a “Modern Contract”. The New Engineering Contract (“NEC”) is widely believed to include virtually all the principles of such a contract. This paper sets out the principle ingredients and changes made since Latham 1994 to demonstrate whether or not the NEC is truly compliant. This paper also reviews the parallel progress towards a modern contract in China, comparing such progress being made on the Chinese Model Contract with that of NEC. This paper also briefly identifies that steps are being taken to avoid adversarial standard forms of contract but, perhaps more importantly, touches on a common desire for culture change in the management of construction projects and may result in convergence between China and the UK

Sustainable procurement through a construction project: a vignette

Sustainable procurement through a construction project: a vignett

Behaviours of quantity surveyors as organizational citizens

Understanding the individual's collectivistic orientations toward group goals and task activities is critical for developing cooperative and productive teams. The complex environment of modern construction, where the emphasis shifts from individually oriented to team‐based work, has led to many challenges. There are important issues of cooperative behaviours in a world of cultural pluralism in which interpersonal cooperation is juxtaposed with organizational citizenship behaviour. Behaviours of construction project participants are important manifestations of culture that are dependent upon norms, values and beliefs. Certain organizational cultures support individualistic behaviours while others emphasize the benefits to the collective whole. Collectivistic orientation is examined as the cultural dimension of individualism‐collectivism (IC) and found to be related to organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB) where the correlations of IC and most OCB variables are significant for quantity surveyors in Hong Kong. Generally, the (more) individualistic persons are less likely to exhibit organizational citizenship behaviours

De topografische evolutie van het Antwerps stadsgebied: ontwikkeling en verdediging van de Romeinse tijd tot de eerste stadsuitbreiding

The effectiveness of e-learning depends on technological support, institutional culture, staff development and students’ receptivity and learning behaviours. Learners expect online interactivity. Successful online delivery requires shifts, both in understanding and behaviours, for the change in pedagogical curriculum development. This paper proposes a research framework to investigate the current elearning diffusion in construction-related programmes in UK’s higher education and the effect of organisational (and/or national) culture on students’ learning behaviours and e-learning effectiveness