Xiao, H and Proverbs, D (2003) Factors influencing contractor performance: An international investigation. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 10(5), pp. 322-332. ISSN 0969-9988
Abstract
International comparisons of contractor performance can provide robust benchmarks for contractors in different countries and help to identify ways towards performance improvement. Based on a hypothetical construction project, overall contractor performance (OCP) in Japan, the UK and the USA is compared. Overall contractor performance is defined to embrace construction cost, construction time, construction quality and sustainable development, the philosophy being that the achievement of one aspect of performance should not be at the expense of another. Multiple regression analysis reveals that overall contractor performance is dependent on: their past performance on previous similar projects; their commitment towards lifetime employment; their perceived importance of time performance; their relationship with subcontractors; and the number of design variations during construction. To improve their overall performance, contractors are advised to focus on construction time, reduce delays, maintain a stable workforce and establish partnerships with their subcontractors. Clients should attempt to reduce design variations during construction.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | construction works; contract workers; multiple regression analysis; performance monitoring; subcontracting |
| Index terms: | international comparison, Japan, philosophy, performance monitoring, commitment, sustainable development, construction project, variation, time performance, subcontractor, construction quality, multiple regression analysis, contractor performance, partnership, construction cost, subcontracting, employment, construction work, investigation, performance improvement, construction time |
| Subjects: | project controls, partnership management, philosophical studies, statistical analysis, quality assurance, performance measurement, management, monitoring and control systems, contractual condition, Geography, health safety and environment, production management, contract management, psychology, operations management, data analysis and analytics, financial and cost management, data collection methods, organization, practitioner |
| Topics: | Quality Management, Human Resources, Supply Chain Management, Contract Administration, Time Control, Organizational Design, Research Practice, Project Management, Geographical Context, Cost Management, Health and Safety, Governance, Stakeholder Management, Roles and Professions |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTA |
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