Goel, A (2023) Using secondary data in research on social sustainability in construction project management: A transition from "interview society" to "project-as-practice". Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 30(9), pp. 3858-3875. ISSN 0969-9988
Abstract
Purpose: Access to unbiased self-reported (primary) data for a normative concept like social sustainability has been a challenge for construction project management (CPM) scholars, and this difficulty has been further amplified by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This paper aims to address this issue by asserting the suitability of secondary data as a methodologically sound but underutilized alternative and providing directions for secondary data-based research on social sustainability in a project setting. Design/methodology/approach: By drawing on a framework for social sustainability and using “project-as-practice” approach as its point of departure, this conceptual paper identifies possibilities for utilizing multiple secondary sources in CPM research. Findings: The paper provides a roadmap for identification of secondary sources, access to data, potential research designs and methods, limitations of and cautions in using secondary sources, and points to many novel lines of empirical enquiries to stimulate secondary data-based research on social sustainability in CPM. Social implications: Indicated secondary sources and empirical opportunities can support research efforts that aim to promote societal welfare through construction projects. Originality/value: The presented guidance will assist researchers in identifying, accessing and utilizing naturalistic, secondary data for designing and conducting empirical research that cuts across social sustainability and CPM. This, in turn, will facilitate methodological pluralism and “practice turn” in such research endeavors.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | archival research; construction; naturalistic data; practice approach; project management; secondary data; social sustainability |
| Index terms: | archival research, pandemic, secondary data, research design, construction project management, social sustainability, project management, society, interview, COVID-19, drawing, construction project, methodology, suitability |
| Subjects: | technical documentation, data collection methods, research design and methodology, design criteria, communities and social development, production management, project management theory and practice, health risk and incident analysis, research methods |
| Topics: | Design Practice, Health and Safety, Project Management, Research Practice, Stakeholder Management |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTE |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here