Tam, G C K (2018) Managing project sustainability: a study of the construction industry in Hong Kong. PhD thesis, London South Bank University, UK.
Abstract
Despite the vast research on project success and sustainability, little is known about managing project sustainability, particularly Hong Kong's construction industry. Previous empirical studies on construction project implementation success lack the ingredients of sustainability. This sequential mixed methods research explores such a relationship from both project maturity and process perspectives. The quantitative study on local construction project managers identifies the status quo of project sustainability maturity. In addition, it identifies sustainability success criteria and factors attributable to project implementation success. The quantitative study results generate question for a subsequent qualitative e-Delphi study. The follow-up e-Delphi study distinguishes the degree of impact related to economic sustainability, environmental sustainability, and social sustainability on construction projects. This study surveyed 55 local construction project managers and received consensus from 12 international experts in the field. First, the mixed methods study found that a discernible construction project sustainability maturity level does not appear in the Hong Kong construction industry. However, organisations generally value project sustainability. Second, the study found four traditional success criteria to explain a majority of local construction project implementation success. Third, two significant sustainability impact criteria (economic and environmental constructs) contributed to local construction project implementation success. However, criterion representing social sustainability impact was not identified. Fourth, the traditional constituent success criterion for construction project implementation success linked to certain sustainability impact elements. Fifth, the study categorised important sustainability impact-related factors (economic: 3; environmental: 4; and social: 3). Finally, e-Delphi experts believed that environmental sustainability was more important than economic and/or social sustainability. This study contributes knowledge to researchers in the field. It also provides local construction project managers with management practices in structuring sustainability-related success criteria and factors contributing to project implementation success. Limitations of this study include not able to conduct longitudinal study, limited judgmental sample size in the survey, clients and stakeholders' view not being considered in the quantitative study, and that majority of the e-Delphi experts in the qualitative study are not base in Hong Kong, etc. Such limitations may reduce the reliability of the research findings.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | construction project; Hong Kong; liability; project manager; sample size; stakeholders; survey; sustainability |
| Index terms: | construction industry, implementation, social sustainability, economic sustainability, empirical study, qualitative study, sample size, mixed method, project manager, maturity level, project success, Delphi method, Hong Kong, environmental sustainability, construction project, management practice, survey, liability, success criteria, manager |
| Subjects: | practitioner, economic analysis, contractual arrangements, research methods, evaluation, production management, Geography, health safety and environment, assessment methods, liability law, communities and social development, research design and methodology, data collection methods, profession, management, project management theory and practice, industry analysis |
| Topics: | Procurement, Health and Safety, Project Management, Geographical Context, Legal Issues, Roles and Professions, Stakeholder Management, Business Strategy, Research Practice |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
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