Xu, Jing (2019) The value of trust in construction supply chains. PhD thesis, University College London, UK.
Abstract
Construction supply chains have a high level of specialism and involve loosely-coupled and relatively self-contained subsystems. Value is always co-created in networks of relationships. Effective relationships between those representing their respective organisations in the project are necessary for effective integration and healthy interdependencies to grow and be maintained. Relationships in construction supply chains have been featured as transactional and do not always generate effective working. Collaboration has been repeatedly proposed to counteract these trends and trust has been identified as a key success indicator. Yet less research interest has been in trust dynamically co-created through service interactions and levering value for those involved. This thesis aims to demonstrate the dynamic value of trust in construction supply chains, in particular relationships between main contractors and second-tier subcontractors, an under-researched area by supply chain and project management bodies of knowledge (BoKs). Taking the perspective of structuration theory and service- dominant logic (S-DL), this process-based research focuses on supply chain relationships in service ecosystems. Seventy-one semi-structured interviews were conducted at the preconstruction, then execution and finally completion stage of three construction projects. The findings reveal that trust development is both an intended and unintended process and involves various types of interaction. It is found that the interplay between different types of interactions can form the trust phenomenon in which the value of trust unfolds. Trust helps increase service value by improving the service experiences of those involved; the better service enables higher performance levels. The study also demonstrates the conditions for trust in terms of structures of service ecosystems and time. This study contributes to knowledge in that it 1) theoretically and empirically demonstrates the value of trust and relationship in construction project management and supply chain disciplines, 2) advances the relational approach in both disciplines and 3) links trust and relational concepts with S-DL.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Thesis advisor: | Smyth, H and Pryke, S |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | collaboration; construction project; construction supply chain; integration; interview; project management; subcontractor; trust |
| Index terms: | interview, trust development, collaboration, construction project, integration, subcontractor, main contractor, construction supply chain, construction project management, project management, interaction |
| Subjects: | construction logistics, data collection methods, organizational analysis, project management theory and practice, management, psychology, practitioner, behavioral psychology, production management |
| Topics: | Roles and Professions, Research Practice, Organizational Design, Project Management, Supply Chain Management |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCE |
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