A role paradigm shift in project management: investigating the project manager competencies required by sustainable project management

Engineering Construction & Architectural Management · 2025-01-13

Purpose As project managers are in the central position of sustainable project management (SPM), their competencies become an important factor that affects the outcome of SPM. However, literature lacks a clear description of the project manager competence system required by SPM. The purpose of this study is to explore what competencies are required by sustainable project management and analyze the hierarchy and attributes of these competencies. Design/methodology/approach Aiming to address the problem, several methods were applied in this study. First, with a literature review, semi-structured interviews and Delphi technology, 23 project manager competencies required by SPM are identified. Second, the fuzzy interpretive structural modeling–matrix impact cross-reference multiplication applied to classification (FISM–MICMAC) method is used to analyze the data from 21 experienced project managers in the construction industry, revealing the hierarchy and attributes of the project manager competency system required by SPM. Findings The results indicate that the project manager competency system required by SPM includes nine micro levels. According to the nature of the competencies, these nine levels can be summarized into five macro levels. Furthermore, all competencies can be divided into three categories: independent, autonomous and dependent. Originality/value This study not only provides project managers and scholars with a further understanding of project manager competencies but also helps contractors make informed and objective judgments in the selection and/or appointments of project managers who have the appropriate competencies for SPM.

Spatial distribution of nitrogen and hydrogen in natural lithospheric diamonds by in situ synchrotron infrared microspectroscopy

Diamond and Related Materials · 2025-11-11 · 1 citations

Natural diamonds are exceptional carriers of mineralogical and chemical information from inaccessible depths of our planet. During their crystallization, they can host light elements such as H and N preserving a natural archive of mantle chemistry that, in turn, allows a better understanding of the chemical composition of the growth media, mechanisms of their formation and residence temperatures in the interior of Earth. However, how N and H distribute near entrapped minerals is still unknown. In this study we investigated the effect of chromite mineral inclusions on the spatial distribution of nitrogen and hydrogen in two natural diamonds of peridotitic origin using in situ synchrotron-based Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy. From the acquisition and optimization of high-resolution maps, we determined the distribution of nitrogen, hydrogen, and nitrogen aggregation state. Our results reveal a dependence between the absorption of H-related peaks with the incorporation of pairs of nitrogen atoms ( N A-centers ). We explain it as indication that chemical interactions between chromite and H might be masked by variations in the N aggregation state. We also conclude that synchrotron micro-FTIR is an advanced technique to assist the synthesis of N- (and H-) doped diamonds for industrial applications.

How coaching project manager influence construction project team members’ job burnout: a conservation of resources perspective

Engineering Construction & Architectural Management · 2024-11-22 · 1 citations

Purpose Construction project team members’ job burnout damages the physical health of members and also have a negative effect on project performance. This study primarily aims to empirically examine the relationship between coaching project managers (CPMs) and team members’ job burnout. Moreover, this research examines the cross-level mediating effect of team caring ethical climate and team members’ team-based self-esteem (TBSE) on the relationship between the two aspects. Design/methodology/approach This study uses conservation of resources theory as basis to construct a cross-level research model of the effect of CPMs on team members’ job burnout. Thereafter, regression analysis was performed on a sample of 431 team members from 83 teams. Findings According to the empirical results, the authors found that, in construction project teams, first, CPMs were negatively correlated with team members’ job burnout and positively correlated with caring ethical climate and team members’ TBSE. Second, caring ethical climate and team members’ TBSE played a cross-level mediating role between CPMs and team members’ job burnout. In addition, caring ethical climate played a cross-level moderating role in the negative relationship between team members’ TBSE and job burnout. Originality/value This study introduces coaching leadership, an important leadership type, into the research background of construction project teams, thereby theoretically enriching the research on construction project team leadership. Moreover, by further expanding the research on the consequences of coaching leadership to the field of job burnout, this study also enriches the theoretical results of the research on the consequences of coaching leadership.

Effect of contractual functions on contractors’ consummate performance behaviors in construction projects

Engineering Construction & Architectural Management · 2024-10-24 · 1 citations

Purpose The contractors’ consummate performance behavior is the key to achieving the project’s value added, but existing research has paid little attention to how to stimulate this behavior. Based on contractual functions and regulatory focus theory, this study examined how the allocation of contractual functions and the contractors’ regulatory focus affect their consummate performance behaviors. At the same time, considering the important position of guanxi between owner and contractor, this study also examined the moderating effect of guanxi on the relationship between the contractors’ regulatory focus and consummate performance behaviors. Design/methodology/approach This study first constructs a conceptual model that incorporates contractual functions (control, coordination and adaptation), contractors’ regulatory focus (promotion focus, prevention focus) and the effect of guanxi on contractors’ consummate performance behavior. Next, partial least squares structural equation modeling is used to analyze the survey data of 297 Chinese construction project professionals. Findings This study has the following four findings. First, contractual control has a negative effect on contractors’ promotion focus but a positive effect on their prevention focus. Contractual coordination and adaptation have a positive effect on contractors’ promotion focus but a negative effect on their prevention focus. Second, contractors’ promotion focus has a positive effect on their consummate performance behaviors, while their prevention focus has a negative effect on such behaviors. Third, both of contractors’ promotion focus and prevention focus play a mediating role in the relationship between contractual functions and their consummate performance behaviors. Finally, guanxi plays a moderating role in the relationship between contractors’ regulatory focus and their consummate performance behaviors. Originality/value Theoretically, this study enriches the research on the antecedents of contractors’ regulatory focus and extends the literature on contractual and guanxi management in construction projects. In practice, this study can provide guidance for improving contractors’ consummate performance behaviors and reasonable allocation of contractual functions.

How does top management team regulatory focus influence management innovation and performance in megaprojects: the moderating role of project uncertainties

Engineering Construction & Architectural Management · 2023-10-07 · 12 citations

Purpose Existing research on innovation has mainly focused on how to promote technological innovation in megaprojects and management innovation (MI) in megaprojects is still an unknown research field. The purposes of this study are to examine the effect of MI on megaproject performance and how the top management team (TMT) regulatory focus affects the use of MI in projects. At the same time, the moderating effects of project uncertainties are also tested. Design/methodology/approach On the basis of an explorative/exploitative ambidextrous analysis framework, this study divides MI into two dimensions: explorative and exploitative MI, and integrates the theoretical perspectives of the TMT regulatory focus and project uncertainties into a research model. Taking 314 responses from megaprojects’ TMTs in China as research data, this study empirically tests the above model. Findings Results show that exploratory MI has a U-shaped relationship with megaproject performance; whereas exploitative MI has an inverted U-shaped relationship with megaproject performance. The TMT promotion focus has a positive effect on exploratory and exploitative MI; and the TMT prevention focus has a negative effect on exploratory MI but has a positive effect on exploitative MI. Project uncertainties have a positive moderating effect on the positive relationship between TMT promotion focus and exploratory MI, whereas it has a negative moderating effect on the negative relationship between the TMT prevention focus and exploratory MI. Originality/value By empirically measuring the relationship between two types of MIs and megaproject performance, this study clarifies the differential mechanism of the effect of different MIs on megaproject performance. This study also examines the MI of megaprojects from the perspective of the TMT regulatory focus and expounds how changes in uncertainties affect the relationship between the TMT regulatory focus and MI.

Effect of construction project managers’ conflict management styles on team resilience: a moderated mediation model of team followership and team power distance

International Journal of Conflict Management · 2023-11-23 · 6 citations

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine how construction project managers’ conflict management styles (CMSs) affect project team resilience from the perspective of social identity theory. Design/methodology/approach This study adopted a cross-sectional survey design and collected paired data from 110 construction project managers and 474 employees in China. Based on the data collected, the authors tested the proposed hypotheses using hierarchical regression analysis. Findings The results show that a project manager’s cooperative CMS positively affects team resilience, and a project manager’s competitive and avoidant CMS negatively affects team resilience. Team followership plays a mediating role in this relationship. The team power distance moderates the effects of a project manager’s cooperative and avoidant CMSs on team followership. Originality/value This paper enriches the existing literature on conflict management in construction projects and have potential guiding significance and application value for team resilience management practices.

Factors affecting transaction costs in megaprojects: a qualitative comparative analysis

International Journal of Managing Projects in Business · 2021 · 10 citations

• Computer Science
• Sociology
• Business

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the factors influencing the transaction costs (TCs) in megaprojects to provide a basis for controlling project costs. Design/methodology/approach This study selects six factors influencing the TCs in megaprojects from the perspective of TC theory and relational contract theory (RCT) through literature review. On the basis of crisp-set qualitative comparative analysis (QCA), this study tests combined factors influencing the TCs and the interaction between them. Findings Results show that in megaprojects, TCs are affected by combination factors. The combination of asset specificity, uncertainty, transaction frequency and trust and the combination of asset specificity, reputation and trust will control TCs in certain situations. In the configuration leading to high project TCs, the combination of environmental and behavioral uncertainties is a necessary condition. Originality/value This paper fills up the research gap in the field of megaproject TCs, and researchers can focus on this field in the future.

Removal of Fe(III) from sulfuric acid leaching solution of phosphate ores with bisphosphonic acids

Hydrometallurgy · 2021 · 15 citations

• Chemistry
• Nuclear chemistry
• Inorganic chemistry

Combined strategy of trust repair in construction project organizations: an exploratory study in Chinese management scenario

International Journal of Managing Projects in Business · 2021-07-02 · 3 citations

Purpose This study aims to explore the combined strategies leading to successful repair of two types of trust in Chinese construction projects and provide an effective guidance and control trust repair in construction projects. During the research period, the author interviewed 150 managers from 50 Chinese construction projects and collected details of 125 violations. The research examines the effect of combined strategy of trust repair in Chinese management scenario. Design/methodology/approach This study adopted a mixed, quantitative, qualitative and exploratory approach. The author first extracted six strategies, namely, apology, denial, penance, communication, promise and compensation, from the literature review and generalization. Then, the author conducted an interview with 150 managers from 50 China construction projects. And the author analyzed the data through qualitative comparative analysis (QCA). Findings When competence-based trust is broken, violators should adopt communication and promise, demonstrate their competence and qualification, and change the attributions of competence from the trustor. When integrity-based trust is broken, violators should apologize, actively admit the mistake, show a positive attitude and seek the forgiveness from the trustor. After reconstructing trustors' perceptions of competence or integrity, violators should also make a promise to trustors for the future. The result of this research not only illustrates the sufficiency and necessity of a single strategy for trust repair but also explores the combination of trust repair strategies that rebuild the trust. Research limitations/implications This study is limited to 50 construction projects in the Chinese construction context, so conclusions are limited in application. Data used in this research did not provide an in-depth analysis of trust repair failures. Thus, additional research is needed to explore why trust was not repaired. The study is also limited to examining the Chinese construction project organizations only, and future studies should incorporate organizations in other nations and regions. Practical implications Compared with using a single strategy, a combined strategy provides a contribution to the future practice of repair broken relationship between construction project organizations. This research helps to organize decisions and benefits managers, from Chinese owners and contractors, in choosing which of these strategies repair trust. The author also provides a specific combination of strategies to repair relationships for international companies that have conflicts with Chinese construction companies. Originality/value This research is among the early studies in China that preliminary examines the combined strategy of trust repair between Chinese owners and contractors by using causal attribution theory and QCA. This study makes a valuable contribution toward combined strategy in construction project and the knowledge system of trust repair. Future studies could build on the findings from the current study to develop a cross-cultural research on trust repair.

Impact of Regulatory Focus on Uncertainty in Megaprojects: Mediating Role of Trust and Control

Journal of Construction Engineering and Management · 2020 · 25 citations

• Political Science
• Computer Science
• Business

The behavior preference and decision matching of participants have an important influence on the governance of megaproject uncertainty. However, the framework and drivers largely are unknown, and are little studied. This study used regulatory focus theory to describe the motivation orientation of all parties. In addition, this study discussed the relationship between regulatory focus and megaproject uncertainty through the choice of governance mechanism—trust and control. A partial least-squares structural equation model was used to test the hypothesis based on data collected from 219 respondents. Results showed that promotion and prevention focuses have negative effects on megaproject uncertainty. Promotion focus has a positive effect on trust but does not have a significant effect on control. Prevention focus has a positive effect on control and a negative effect on trust. Trust mediates the relationship between promotion focus and megaproject uncertainty, whereas control does not. Trust and control mediate the relationship between prevention focus and megaproject uncertainty, make rational behavioral decisions in different uncertain situations, and choose matching governance modes. Furthermore, regulatory focus theory based on megaprojects goes beyond the boundaries of a single organization. This theory occurs at an interorganizational level and helps to build a governance mechanism for megaproject uncertainty. Results of this study enrich the knowledge system of megaproject management theory.