Soto Ortiz, S.; Kang, K.; Hubbard, B. and Besiktepe, D. (2026) Supply chain disruption risks in U.S. Construction industry: Post-pandemic perspectives. Construction Management and Economics, 44(9), pp. 703-720. ISSN 0144-6193
Abstract
Supply chain resilience has gained prominence in the U.S. construction industry, driven by recent global disruptions and the sector's intrinsic complexities. Resilient supply chains are crucial for managing uncertainties, adapting to evolving conditions, and maintaining operational continuity. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated existing challenges and risks for construction projects, including material shortages, logistical constraints, and project delays. This study aims to analyze the risks identified by industry practitioners and their projections for the next three years (based on data collected between 2023 and 2024). By examining and focusing on industry practitioners' perspectives for both immediate and long-term risks, the study provides a grounded view of perceived risk evolution in the post-pandemic construction environment for enhancing supply chain resilience. Using a mixed methods approach, including an online survey questionnaire, this research captures post-pandemic risk perceptions and future concerns. The findings indicate that material availability remains the most critical concern both currently and, in the future, while geopolitical and regulatory risks are anticipated to gain prominence. Lead times and delivery delays are projected to worsen, highlighting the need for proactive strategies. The results contribute to closing existing research gaps and support construction decision-makers in mitigating future disruptions. in mitigating future disruptions.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | COVID-19; resilience strategies; supply chain risks |
| Index terms: | lead time, evolution, pandemic, supply chain resilience, questionnaire, survey, mixed method, project delay, risk perception, shortages, construction industry, construction project, strategy, practitioner, complexity, COVID-19 |
| Subjects: | health risk and incident analysis, data collection methods, environmental hazards, supply chain resilience, practitioner, production management, economic analysis, environmental science, management, project controls, industry analysis, systems engineering |
| Topics: | Health and Safety, Business Strategy, Roles and Professions, Sustainability, Project Management, Time Control, Research Practice, Supply Chain Management, Engineering Principles |
| 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