Dynamic changes of governance mechanisms in mega construction projects in China

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 723-735 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dedong Wang ◽  
Shaoze Fang ◽  
Kaili Li

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study the mechanisms governing dynamic changes in relational and contractual governance at different stages of government-funded mega construction projects (MCPs) by studying their different effects on project performance and participants’ opportunism. Design/methodology/approach Partial least squares structural equation modeling was used to test eight hypotheses based on data collected from 147 respondents in different participating organizations in Chinese MCPs. Findings First, contractual governance has a stronger positive impact on project performance than relational governance in the early stage of MCPs, while relational governance exerts more positive effects on project performance than contractual governance in the middle and late stages. Second, opportunism is a mediator variable between governance mechanisms and project performance, and relational governance is more effective than contractual governance in restricting opportunism. Originality/value In contrast to a static analysis of project governance mechanisms, this study examines dynamic changes in the governance mechanisms of MCPs in the Chinese context by considering the mediating role of opportunism as well as guanxi as an element of relational governance, thus filling in gaps in the literature on MCP governance and contributing to the development of MCP management theory.

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 194-211
Author(s):  
Nicolas Julian Seyler ◽  
Jan Mutl

Purpose Building performance does not only depend on its efficiency but also on the behaviors of its occupants. Occupant behaviors can more than offset technological efficiency gains so, that corporate real estate (CRE) managers have to go beyond sustainable buildings. CRE managers need to understand occupants to effectively reduce the environmental impact of their building portfolio. This paper aims to investigate the effects of environmental attitudes and mindfulness on occupant behaviors at home and at the office. Thereby, the authors address numerous calls for research regarding the drivers of more environmental real estate user behaviors. Design/methodology/approach The authors use partial least squares structural equation modeling based on self-report data obtained for a representative German sample. Findings The results show that environmental attitudes and mindfulness have both positive effects on occupant behaviors. However, the effects tend to be weaker in the office context. Research limitations/implications This study relies on self-reports as an indicator of actual behaviors. Besides, the findings are limited by the cross-sectional nature of the data. Practical implications Environmental education and mindfulness training may be an effective way to promote more environmental occupant behaviors and help CRE managers to further reduce the environmental impact of their building portfolio. Originality/value The paper contributes to prior research about the antecedents of environmental behaviors and provides evidence for the positive impact of environmental attitudes and mindfulness on occupant behaviors. The author provide a new approach for CRE managers, which may improve occupant behaviors.


2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 66-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Clauss ◽  
Patrick Spieth

Purpose The realisation of joint innovation outcomes in open innovation networks is closely related to an efficient utilisation of governance mechanisms, which coordinate joint processes (e.g. knowledge sharing) and eliminate undesired behaviours (e.g. opportunism). Hence, the purpose of this paper is to analyse the complex effects of multiple governance approaches on outcomes of open innovation networks with a national and an international scope. Design/methodology/approach The study draws on a large-scale survey-based study of 100 mechanical engineering firms involved in open innovation networks. Hypotheses are tested by means of PLS structural equation modelling. Findings The evidence shows that the three governance mechanisms: transactional governance, relational governance and institutionalised governance significantly foster innovation outcomes of open innovation networks. In national open innovation networks, only relational governance exerts positive effects, internationally transactional and institutionalised governance is necessary. Research limitations/implications The study contributes to research in multiple ways. First, it shows that governance of open innovation networks is crucial for their innovation performance, thereby providing some explanations for the performance differences between certain networks. Second, the results indicate that the effects of governance mechanisms depend on the scope of the network. By showing that the effect of governance mechanisms varies under different contextual conditions the study also contributes to the ongoing debate on combined effects of governance mechanisms. Originality/value The paper fills important gaps in the existing research on the link between governance and performance in open innovation networks and delineates interesting areas for further research.


2016 ◽  
Vol 36 (11) ◽  
pp. 1551-1575 ◽  
Author(s):  
John G. Wacker ◽  
Chenlung Yang ◽  
Chwen Sheu

Purpose As outsourcing continues to grow, supplier management becomes critical to the success of manufacturing firms. Transaction cost economics (TCE) suggests that firms should choose supplier governance mechanisms to ensure fulfillment of contractual obligations and safeguard against opportunism for their outsourcing activities. Accordingly, the purpose of this paper is to examine how buying organizations govern supplier contracts to improve manufacturing competitiveness and financial performance. The relative effectiveness of two primary governance mechanisms, contractual governance (CG), and relational governance, are examined. Design/methodology/approach Expanding upon previous studies, this study delineates three relational governance mechanisms (negotiation efficiency (NE), problem solving relations, and information sharing (IS)) that are conceptually, statistically and pragmatically different. Based on the TCE literature, a conceptual model is developed to decipher the relationships between pre-contract conditions (supplier asset specificity and environmental uncertainty (EU)), governance mechanisms, performance ambiguity (PA), and performance. Using the data collected from 987 firms, the statistical results present several important findings that would advance current theory and practice in outsourcing. Findings The authors find empirical support for the effects of contractual and relational governance in improving manufacturing and financial performance. The governance of supplier contracts clearly facilitates manufacturers’ ability to leverage their resources to improve performance. The relative effectiveness of these two governance mechanisms is related to the levels of EU and supplier asset specificity. Relational governance displays greater influence on performance than CG does. However, CG appears to be complementary to relational governance. Research limitations/implications The interplays between supplier asset specificity and EU should be examined in the future. The relationships among NE, IS, and problem solving should also be examined to facilitate the development of relational governance. Practical implications Managers should be aware of the situational performance of governance mechanisms. Moreover, it is important to realize how differently each of the three relational governance mechanisms and CG contribute to performance. Originality/value This study extends the academic discussion of supplier governance by investigating the alignment of governance mechanisms (relational governance and CG) with pre-contract conditions to reduce PA and, thereby, enhance manufacturing performance. Under the theoretical framework of TCE, the direct and indirect effects of pre-contract conditions and governance variables are fully examined and discussed. Moreover, relational governance involves multiple mechanisms that are conceptually and pragmatically different, and future studies should not treat it as one single construct.


2015 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Minkyun Kim ◽  
Nallan C Suresh ◽  
Canan Kocabasoglu-Hillmer

Purpose – The aim of this study is to investigate the relationships among strategic sourcing, e-procurement and firm performance, along with the moderating effects of business characteristics and environmental factors on these relationships. Design/methodology/approach – This empirical investigation relies on structured survey responses from 137 managers of US manufacturing firms. The partial least squares-based structural equation modeling approach is used for data analysis. Findings – The research results confirm that both strategic sourcing and e-procurement have a positive effect on firm performance. In addition, e-procurement is also found to have a positive impact on strategic sourcing. In addition, the research results suggest that business characteristics and the environment, especially the degree of competition, market turbulence, firm size and stage in product life cycle moderate these relationships significantly. The positive effects of strategic sourcing and e-procurement on firm performance are particularly enhanced under the right conditions. Originality/value – This research is the first, to the best of our knowledge, to provide insights into the joint effects of strategic sourcing and e-procurement, and how business characteristics and the environment affect their roles on firm performance. In addition, firm performance is evaluated as a multi-dimensional construct involving financial, operational and supply chain aspects, with the measurements consisting of several second-order constructs. The study makes both theoretical and practical contributions.


Author(s):  
Milind Jagtap ◽  
Sachin Kamble

Purpose The purpose of this paper is first to examine the effect of client-led and contractor-led supply chain initiatives on project performance in the Indian construction industry and second to assess how the client-led supply chain initiatives complement the contractor-led supply chain initiatives. Design/methodology/approach In this study, the effects of the client-led supply chain initiatives (reward power and competence trust of the construction clients) and the contractor-led supply chain initiatives (contractor integration and calculative commitment of the contractor) on project performance in construction projects are examined. The data were collected from 346 construction professionals working in Indian construction projects using purposive sampling. The proposed hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling. Findings The contractor-led supply chain initiatives, in the form of contractor integration and the calculative relationship commitment of a contractor, were found to be strong mediators, indirectly affecting the project performance. On the other hand, the client-led supply chain initiatives, in the form of the reward power of the client and the competence trust of the client, directly influence the project performance. Research limitations/implications This study reports the inevitable bias on the part of participants, who responded to the survey either in the capacity of client or contractor, although they might have executed projects in both capacities. Future studies could benefit from the use of objective data instead of behavioral data. Practical implications This study helps construction firms understand how to demarcate the client and contractor roles in the construction supply chain to improve the project performance. Originality/value The originality of this study lies in its investigation of the influence of client-led supply chain initiatives and contractor-led supply chain initiatives on project performance.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bo Ra Joo ◽  
Hye-Young Kim

PurposeBuilding on the Brands as Intentional Agents Framework (BIAF), the aim of this study is to demonstrate the effectiveness of social media marketing (SMM) as a tool to communicate luxury fashion brands' good intentions toward the general public.Design/methodology/approachA sample of 488 US female consumers was used to test a conceptual model delineating the sequential linkages from luxury fashion brands' intentions to brand emotions (i.e. envy vs admiration) and to consumer–brand relationships (i.e. emotional brand attachment and brand forgiveness). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed to test the measurement and structural models.FindingsThe results indicated that luxury fashion brands' “populist” intentions had a positive impact on consumer admiration. Both consumer envy and admiration had positive effects on emotional brand attachment and brand forgiveness. However, admiration had a stronger effect than envy on these relational consumer responses.Originality/valueThis study identified that luxury fashion brands, frequently stereotyped as exclusive, can become brands admired by mass-market consumers by expressing warmth on social media. Drawing on social psychological perspectives and the BIAF, this study adds to the literature on luxury brands' social media communication by demonstrating the effectiveness of brand warmth to induce consumers' strong relational outcomes.


2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Galina Biedenbach ◽  
Peter Hultén ◽  
Veronika Tarnovskaya

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of human capital and relational trust on business-to-business (B2B) brand equity.Design/methodology/approachData collection was conducted among the clients of one of the Big Four auditing firms in Sweden. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesized effects.FindingsThe results demonstrate positive effects of human capital and relational trust on the core dimensions of brand equity. In the context of the professional services, human capital was found to have a stronger direct impact than relational trust on brand associations, perceived quality and brand loyalty.Practical implicationsThe study provides practical recommendations for marketing managers on how to consider the nature of B2B brand equity and its determinants in developing successful branding strategies. The findings indicate that although relational trust has a positive impact on brand equity, it draws on the clients’ positive perceptions of the service providers’ human capital. Thus, investments that generate positive perceptions of a service provider’s human capital will strengthen its competitive position. Leading to the creation of relational trust and having a strong impact on the dimensions of brand equity, human capital is a strategic asset that needs careful management.Originality/valueThe study advances extant knowledge on B2B brand equity by examining contextual conditions and factors that are critical for building strong brands in industrial markets. The study demonstrates that clients’ perceptions about the knowledge, skills and abilities of service providers are more important than relational trust for enhancing B2B brand equity.


2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (5) ◽  
pp. 863-874 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yonggui Wang ◽  
Fei Liu

Purpose Based on the business-to-business context in the service industry, this study aims to address two balancing problems that a supplier firm may face in an integrated framework: the trade-off between the two-dimensional market orientations (MO) (i.e. proactive and responsive MO) and the trade-off between two categories of governance mechanisms (i.e. contractual governance [CG] and relational governance [RG]). In doing so, the contingent effects of the governance mechanisms on the relationships between two-dimensional MO and service innovation capability (SIC) are empirically examined and tested. Design/methodology/approach A dyadic questionnaire survey of 168 services outsourcing firms’ project managers and strategy managers was used to collect data, which was then used to test the hypotheses by conducting hierarchical regression analysis. Findings It was observed that CG weakens the positive relationship between proactive MO (PMO) and SIC, while the positive impact of responsive MO (RMO) on SIC is strengthened. By contrast, RG plays an inverted U-shaped moderating role in the positive relationship between PMO and SIC. Nevertheless, the hypothesis that RG has an inverted U-shaped moderating effect on the effectiveness of RMO is not supported. Originality/value Drawing on transaction cost economics and relational exchange theory, this study contributes to the existing literature on MO by revealing how CG and RG differentially shape the value of PMO and RMO.


2018 ◽  
Vol 33 (5) ◽  
pp. 717-729 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ngoc Luu ◽  
Jack Cadeaux ◽  
Liem Viet Ngo

Purpose The purposes of this study are to examine how contractual and relational governance mechanisms influence total value created in a buyer–supplier relationship and to investigate how supplier’s information sharing and information sharing asymmetry between two exchange parties differentially moderate these associations. Design/methodology/approach The study is conducted with a sample of 110 buyer–supplier matched dyads in various industries in Vietnam. Findings This study confirms that contractual governance and relational governance have curvilinear effects on total relationship value. Governance mechanisms have distinct interactions with supplier’s information sharing and information sharing asymmetry to influence total relationship value. Research limitations/implications Future study could expand the sample to various countries to investigate the role of cultural factors in the effects of contractual and relational governance. Practical implications This study draws implications for supplying managers about how to govern a relationship with a buying firm with which they are sharing information. It also provides implications about how to use contractual and relational governance to control the effects of supplier’s information sharing and information sharing asymmetry, on total relationship value. Originality/value This study extends the information sharing literature by looking into the effect of supplier’s information sharing on both parties’ relationship value. It contributes to the governance literature by investigating curvilinear effects of contractual and relational governance on relationship performance.


2014 ◽  
Vol 48 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 699-721 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ralf Wierich ◽  
Stephan Zielke

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to investigate how different design elements of retailer coupons increase the attitudinal loyalty towards retailers. Design/methodology/approach – Three design elements are manipulated in a 2x2x2 experimental design. Data is analysed using structural equation modeling. Findings – The results demonstrate that addressing customers personally and face value have a positive impact on attitudinal loyalty. Surprisingly, the positive effect of personalization is stronger than that of typical variations in face value. In contrast, a high minimum purchase amount restriction has a negative total effect on loyalty and neutralizes the positive effects generated by personalization. The results illustrate further that personalization influences loyalty via self-reference and enjoyment independently of any cognitive evaluation of the coupon, while face value and the minimum purchase amount require at least some cognitive processing to have a loyalty impact. Research limitations/implications – Future studies can use the developed framework to test the impact of other design elements, promotion types or loyalty schemes. Practical implications – The results underline that personalization offers opportunities for increasing loyalty without the necessity of large investments. As these effects can occur without redemption, coupon promotions should not be evaluated based on redemption rates only. Originality/value – The study extends existing research by focusing on retailer coupons, analyzing the combined loyalty effects of three coupon design elements and developing a framework to analyze direct and indirect loyalty effects as well.


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