Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Demand, Output, and Outcomes of Construction Projects in Singapore

Ling, Florence Yean Yng; Zhang, Zhe; Yew, Aurelia Y. R.

doi:10.1061/(asce)me.1943-5479.0001020

Cited by 51 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…Figure 1 provides guidance to FM organizations to manage disruptions and crises in an agile manner. Agile FM organizations could achieve flexibility by relying less on manpower which is scarce during a pandemic and more on machines and technology (Ling et al , 2022). FM organizations should scale up the adoption of digital technology, robotics (Wong et al , 2018; Chanprakon et al , 2019) and Smart FM (Chew et al , 2020).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Agility of facilities management organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic: lessons learnt for future pandemics

Ling

Tam²

2022

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Purpose This study aims to investigate how agile facilities management (FM) organizations were during the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore, examine the agile strategies adopted and extracted lessons learnt for managing facilities in future pandemics. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected using a questionnaire coupled with in-depth interviews with FM professionals. Findings The FM sector experienced significant challenges such as increased operating cost and shortage of FM staff. FM organizations were assessed to be agile as they overcame challenges swiftly, made rapid changes to their service offerings as the situation evolved, engaged facility owners actively and adopted strategies that were flexible and responsive. They also adopted health-centric employee care. Research limitations/implications The research was conducted during the pandemic. The final verdict of FM organizations’ agility and the most effective practices may only be known when the COVID-19 pandemic ends. Practical implications Lessons learnt for FM to manage future pandemics were crystalized. These include reducing reliance on manpower, boosting technology adoption and personalized employee engagement. Originality/value This study added to knowledge by testing and confirming that the agility theory and its six metrics of agility comprising flexibility, velocity, responsiveness, collaboration, visibility and competence may be used by FM organizations to be agile in a crisis or disruption. Its originality is the discovery of a new construct – health-centric employee care – that is needed to further boost FM organizations’ agility performance in a pandemic. Health-centric employee care involves practices to reduce intra-staff transmission of the virus and individualized employee support to build resilience.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Agility of facilities management organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic: lessons learnt for future pandemics

Ling

Tam²

2022

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“…The COVID-19 pandemic has had disastrous impacts on the construction industry worldwide. The study of Ling et al. (2022) also showed a decrease in construction demand and output due to the pandemic in Singapore by 27.9 and 28.6%, respectively.…”

Section: Research Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 95%

The impact of COVID-19 on construction labor productivity: the case of Turkey

Tekin

2022

ECAM

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PurposeThe aim of this study is to measure the impact of the factors affecting construction labor productivity by focusing on different types of construction works during and after the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey, as well as discuss solutions and immediate actions.Design/methodology/approachThis research was conducted in two steps. First, a quantitative survey was carried out to determine the dimension of factors negatively affecting construction labor productivity and the loss rate of different construction works from the employee perspective. The factors were identified through a literature review. The crucial relationships were highlighted as a result of a statistical analysis. Second, a survey was performed to determine the loss rate through a comparison of man-hour values before and after the beginning of the pandemic from the employer perspective. After an analysis and comparison of the results, semi-structured interviews were performed to discuss all findings and discover ways to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 on construction labor productivity.FindingsThe results of the study clearly show that construction labor productivity was deeply affected by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Legal obligations, such as social distancing, wearing masks, and limitations on the number of workers, have been major drivers for lower labor productivity. Such obligations have a profound impact on interior construction works, especially based on teamwork. Concerning employer and labor-related factors, problems with getting payments on time, loss of income, and financial hardships are the leading factors resulting in decreased worker performance. Excavation, insulation, and plastering works were determined as the most affected construction works under the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic.Research limitations/implicationsThe quantitative portion of this study is limited to a sample of respondents in the Turkish construction industry. Further research is necessary to provide an in-depth review into construction labor productivity in other countries with a larger respondent sample. Another limitation is sourced by the dynamics of the COVID-19 pandemic, which may turn out that some findings are outdated. Despite these limitations, the insights from this study may enable employers to understand the major drivers and deep impacts of labor productivity loss by uncovering the main vulnerabilities during the pandemic. Recommended measures may also help policy-makers and stakeholders in the construction industry take necessary and immediate actions to ensure better construction labor productivity.Originality/valueThe study may contribute to a better understanding of a pandemic's impact on labor productivity by focusing on both employee and employer perspectives, especially in developing countries. The paper may help employers decide which priority measures are required for each construction work separately. The study is crucial not only for minimizing the negative effects of the COVID-19 outbreak on labor productivity but also for preparing for the post-pandemic era.

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“…During the pandemic construction industry suffered significant delays (between 4 and 24 months), and almost 90% of the construction projects overran the costs due to restrictions (Ling, Zhang and Yew, 2021). They stated that price fluctuation could be a risk for construction projects due to their long-term characteristics.…”

Section: Theoretical Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of Price Fluctuation of Determining Materials for Total Construction Cost

Brožová¹,

Dlask²,

Prostjeovska³

2022

Proceedings of the 16th Economics &Amp; Finance Conference, Prague

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The preparation of many investment projects began before the pandemic and is now facing a changed situation that will affect the entire project. One of the significant factors influencing construction projects is the price growth and availability of construction materials. The effects of price changes will take shape during the construction process in the supplier's relations and will affect the project's results from the point of view of suppliers and investors. The effect of rising prices of building materials on the total construction costs for the design of an apartment building is evaluated, and the groups of materials with the largest share of the total cost are identified. Part of the analysis is the assessment of groups of materials with the highest fluctuations in prices for the period, called determined materials. For this group is appraised share in the total construction costs, and the possible effects of price increases on project implementation are discussed.

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Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Demand, Output, and Outcomes of Construction Projects in Singapore

Cited by 51 publications

References 20 publications

Agility of facilities management organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic: lessons learnt for future pandemics

Agility of facilities management organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic: lessons learnt for future pandemics

The impact of COVID-19 on construction labor productivity: the case of Turkey

Evaluation of Price Fluctuation of Determining Materials for Total Construction Cost

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