Jayaraj, S; Doerfel, M L and Williams, T (2022) Clique to win: Impact of cliques, competition, and resources on team performance. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 148(7): 04022047, ISSN 0733-9364
Abstract
This study examines how prior relationships between construction industry project teams influence work outcomes. Drawing on social network literature, we theorize that factors like the frequency of partner interactions, resource requirements, and level of competition impact performance. Using a dataset of public infrastructure projects in the State of California, we test how network structures (structural holes and Simmelian ties) affect project performance. Longitudinal network analyses reveal a strong positive effect of cliques on project performance in the construction industry. Even when tested under varying conditions of stress - competition and access to valuable resources - the positive effect of cliques remained intact. This study links the social networking theory to construction cost overruns and shows that cliques between contractors and subcontractors affect project performance.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | cliques; collaboration; simmelian ties; structural holes; team performance |
| Index terms: | overrun, drawing, networking, social network, competition, collaboration, subcontractor, dataset, public infrastructure, network analysis, construction cost, project performance, team performance, project team, construction industry, interaction |
| Subjects: | communication, technical documentation, data analysis and analytics, project delivery, financial and cost management, practitioner, project controls, data management, market analysis, sociology, industry analysis, infrastructure and transport systems, behavioral psychology, management, project management theory and practice |
| Topics: | Digital Applications, Design Practice, Organizational Design, Time Control, Cost Management, Engineering Principles, Project Management, Research Practice, Roles and Professions |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTA |
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