Identifying the contractor's core competencies in post-COVID-19 scenario: Developing a survey instrument

Purpose: Construction industry is one of the worst affected sectors due to the impact of the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify the key competencies that should be demonstrated by the contractors in the post-COVID-19 scenario to make them resilient to the adverse impact of pandemic outbreaks. Design/methodology/approach: A survey instrument was developed using an extensive literature review and was tested using a pilot study. It was then administered online using survey monkey to 900 respondents, out of which 324 complete responses were obtained. The data analysis was performed using exploratory factor analysis and second-order confirmatory factor analysis. Findings: After analyzing the data, it was identified that the most critical competence was managing site safety (standard factor loading (SFL) = 0.91), followed by leadership skills (SFL = 0.88), technical competence (SFL = 0.81), managing supply chain disruption (SFL = 0.73) and financial stability (SFL = 0.48) that were found to be less essential from the respondents' point of view. Originality/value: The study is first of its kind to identify the core competencies that should be demonstrated by the contractors to cope with COVID-19-induced disruptions. The findings of this article can be used by the practitioners to develop policies and procedures for selection of contractors.