Sun, M; Zhu, F and Sun, X (2020) Influencing factors of construction professionals' burnout in China: A sequential mixed-method approach. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 27(10), pp. 3215-3233. ISSN 0969-9988
Abstract
Purpose: The present study investigated how different factors interact and work in concert to influence construction professionals' burnout (hereafter CPs' burnout) in China. Design/methodology/approach: A sequential mixed-method approach was chosen for this research. Twenty-two interviews were conducted and analysed, and we identified ten influencing factors associated with CPs' burnout. Subsequently, a sample of 232 questionnaires was analysed using fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to ascertain the eight configurations of CPs' high and low burnout. Findings: The key findings include the following: first, perceived workload, role ambiguity, role conflict, emotional demand, work-home interference, relationships with supervisors, autonomy, fairness of rewards, support from project team and self-efficacy are the ten factors influencing CPs' burnout; second, experienced and less experienced construction professionals take different paths towards high or low burnout; and third, among construction professionals, perceived workload and burnout are not necessarily correlated. We found that autonomy plays a crucial role in this process. Originality/value: This is one of the first studies to adopt a configurational approach for understanding influencing factors of CPs' burnout. The strength of the present study is its sequential mixed-method approach, which forms a loop between the qualitative and quantitative studies.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | burnout; construction professional; qualitative comparative analysis |
| Index terms: | workload, qualitative comparative analysis, interview, burnout, role conflict, China, questionnaire, configuration, methodology, influencing factor, project team, supervisor, self-efficacy, fairness, construction professional |
| Subjects: | Geography, professional development, management, research methods, leadership, systems engineering, occupational health and safety management, sociology, practitioner, human factors and perception, data collection methods, risk assessment, project delivery |
| Topics: | Project Management, Geographical Context, Research Practice, Engineering Principles, Information Management, Health and Safety, Roles and Professions, Risk Management, Human Resources, Organizational Design |
| 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