ABSTRACT
Purpose>Demands for Industrialized Construction (IC) have intensified with growing construction industry imperatives to (A) boost performance;(B) reduce reliance on “in-situ and on-site” operations;and (C) strengthen supply chain resilience (SCR) not just for survival but also to fulfill obligations to clients in the coronavirus disease 2019–induced (COVID-19–induced) “new normal”. In addressing these imperatives, this paper targets more effective leveraging of latent efficiencies of off-site-manufacture, based on findings from a Hong Kong (HK)–based study on assessing and improving SCR in IC in a high-density city.Design/methodology/approach>Starting with the identification of critical supply chain vulnerabilities (CSCVs), this study developed a multilevel–multicriteria mathematical model to evaluate the vulnerability levels of IC supply chains (SCs) in HK based on an in-depth questionnaire survey followed by experts' inputs and analyzing them using fuzzy synthetic evaluation (FSE).Findings>The overall vulnerability index indicates that IC in HK is substantially vulnerable to disruptions, while production-based vulnerabilities have the highest impact. Top management attention is needed to address these CSCVs in IC in HK.Originality/value>To the authors' knowledge, this is the first structured evaluation model that measures the vulnerability level of IC, providing useful insights to industry stakeholders for well-informed decision-making in achieving resilient, sustainable and performance-enhanced SCs.
ABSTRACT
Given the increased importance of identifying the critical Policy Driving Forces (PDFs) to uptake Modular integrated Construction (MiC) practices in Hong Kong (HK), this study aims to identify and examine the critical PDFs associated with MiC projects in HK from the perspective of industry experts. After drawing on the plentiful relevant literature and conducting a pilot study, an expert opinion survey was conducted to gather the necessary data for this study. The collected data were analysed using relevant significance analysis and factor analysis to identify critical PDFs and appropriate groupings. The results revealed 23 critical PDFs under seven critical components in three stages of the MiC process. Regulative PDFs show the highest criticality for up-taking the MiC in the initiation and planning and design phases, while Greater Bay Area development PDFs are critical in the construction phase. The PDF related to the COVID-19 pandemic is the only critical PDF that appeared in all three stages. As the first study that explores PDFs for MiC uptake throughout all project phases, this study contributes substantially to theory and practice while better informing policymakers on how to initiate MiC-related policies to boost MiC practice in HK, where MiC is achieving greater prominence in application.
ABSTRACT
Purpose Demands for Industrialized Construction (IC) have intensified with growing construction industry imperatives to (A) boost performance;(B) reduce reliance on "in-situ and on-site" operations;and (C) strengthen supply chain resilience (SCR) not just for survival but also to fulfill obligations to clients in the coronavirus disease 2019-induced (COVID-19-induced) "new normal". In addressing these imperatives, this paper targets more effective leveraging of latent efficiencies of off-site-manufacture, based on findings from a Hong Kong (HK)-based study on assessing and improving SCR in IC in a high-density city. Design/methodology/approach Starting with the identification of critical supply chain vulnerabilities (CSCVs), this study developed a multilevel-multicriteria mathematical model to evaluate the vulnerability levels of IC supply chains (SCs) in HK based on an in-depth questionnaire survey followed by experts' inputs and analyzing them using fuzzy synthetic evaluation (FSE). Findings The overall vulnerability index indicates that IC in HK is substantially vulnerable to disruptions, while production-based vulnerabilities have the highest impact. Top management attention is needed to address these CSCVs in IC in HK. Originality/value To the authors' knowledge, this is the first structured evaluation model that measures the vulnerability level of IC, providing useful insights to industry stakeholders for well-informed decision-making in achieving resilient, sustainable and performance-enhanced SCs.