Can joint-contract functions promote PPP project sustainability performance? A moderated mediation model

PurposeThe role of conventional contracts in achieving sustainability goals in public–private partnership (PPP) projects has been questioned. From the multifunctional perspective of contract theory, joint-contract functions that combine contractual control, coordination and adaptation may be a potential approach for improving PPP project sustainability performance. This research intends to investigate the link between the joint-contract functions and PPP project sustainability performance, and their underlying mechanism, by analyzing the mediating role of relationship quality and moderating roles of environmental uncertainty and behavioral uncertainty.Design/methodology/approachBased on 170 valid survey data collected from the Chinese PPP professionals, partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was adopted to test the hypothesis.FindingsThe results reveal that joint-contract functions are positively associated with the PPP project sustainability performance. This relationship is strengthened by environmental and behavioral uncertainty. Moreover, the relationship between the joint-contract functions and PPP project sustainability performance is mediated by relationship quality.Research limitations/implicationsThis research extends contract governance theory and sustainability research in PPP projects. The research implications are as follows: (1) joint-contract functions are a second-order construct consisting of three first-order dimensions: control, coordination and adaptation and are positively associated with PPP project sustainability performance; (2) joint-contract functions enhance the sustainable benefits of PPP projects during environmental uncertainty and behavioral uncertainty; (3) informal relationships are a critical bridge connecting formal institutions with the sustainability performance of PPP projects.Practical implicationsIn general, these findings guide project participants who aim to achieve sustainable outcomes in PPP projects. (1) Project participants should consider the process of contract design and sign contracts that focus on joint-contract functions. (2) Project participants should investigate the degree of uncertainty of a PPP project before designing contracts, and design the contracts with corresponding complexity. (3) Project participants should work to enhance PPP sustainable benefits by improving the relationship between partners, such as encouraging mutual trust and joint problem-solving.Originality/valueThis research verifies the relationship between joint-contract functions and PPP project sustainability performance, and the boundary and intermediary conditions between them.

The efficacy of trust for the governance of uncertainty and opportunism in megaprojects

Purpose The low success rate of megaprojects stems from the opportunism triggered by uncertainty. Developing trust between participants is an effective means to reduce uncertainty, but this process is inevitably affected by contracts. The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of uncertainty on participants’ opportunism in megaprojects and the effect of trust on reducing uncertainty. At the same time, the moderating effects of contractual control are tested. Design/methodology/approach This research classifies trust into competence-based trust and goodwill-based trust and categorizes uncertainty into environmental uncertainty and behavioral uncertainty. Partial least squares structural equation modeling is used to test the hypotheses based on data collected from 172 respondents. Findings The results show a positive correlation between the two types of uncertainty and opportunism. For the governance of uncertainty, competence-based trust can reduce environmental uncertainty, but it is ineffective for behavioral uncertainty, and goodwill-based trust has a significant effect on both types of uncertainty. The test of moderating effects shows that contractual control strengthens the effect of competence-based trust but weakens the effect of goodwill-based trust, which means that contractual control complements competence-based trust and substitutes for goodwill-based trust. Research limitations/implications This research enriches the theory of megaproject management. First, it validates the role of competence-based trust and goodwill-based trust in reducing the different types of uncertainty in megaprojects. Second, this study clarifies the substitution or complementarity between contractual control and different dimensions of trust in the context of high uncertainty, which provides a comprehensive answer to prior research inconsistencies on contractual control and trust. Practical implications For practice, this research provides some implications for megaproject management. First, project managers should recognize that the match between trust and project uncertainty is key to the success of megaproject governance. For example, some megaprojects involve many organizations, and there are many difficulties in behavioral supervision and performance appraisal. Therefore, developing goodwill-based trust between participants through positive interactions is an effective means to reduce the behavioral uncertainty of all participants and to curb opportunistic behaviors. Originality/value This research validated the role of competence-based trust and goodwill-based trust in reducing the different types of uncertainty in megaprojects. Furthermore, it clarifies the substitution or complementarity between contractual control and different dimensions of trust in the context of high uncertainty, which provides a comprehensive answer to prior research inconsistencies on contractual control and trust.

Uncertainty leads to persistent effects on reach representations in dorsal premotor cortex

Every movement we make represents one of many possible actions. In reaching tasks with multiple targets, dorsal premotor cortex (PMd) appears to represent all possible actions simultaneously. However, in many situations we are not presented with explicit choices. Instead, we must estimate the best action based on noisy information and execute it while still uncertain of our choice. Here we asked how both primary motor cortex (M1) and PMd represented reach direction during a task in which a monkey made reaches based on noisy, uncertain target information. We found that with increased uncertainty, neurons in PMd actually enhanced their representation of unlikely movements throughout both planning and execution. The magnitude of this effect was highly variable across sessions, and was correlated with a measure of the monkeys’ behavioral uncertainty. These effects were not present in M1. Our findings suggest that PMd represents and maintains a full distribution of potentially correct actions.

Exploring the athlete’s sports learning effect based on leader-member exchange theory — college class A team of Taiwan as example

Recently, since there has been more intense competition among teams or players, a team has to reconsider a new strategy for strengthening their competitive advantage. This study tries to explore the relationship among the relationship trust, relationship learning and sports learning effect, which chose Taiwan’s college class A team as subject to do empirical study. We adopted purposive sampling and delivered the questionnaire in a total of 1,000 copies. The duration was from October 1st to 10th of 2009. The valid samples amounted to 459, valid rate up to 45.9%. We used structural equation model (SEM) to test the model fitness and the hypotheses.The results show: (1) “specific assets”, “internal complexity”, “environmental uncertainty”, “communication” and “commitment“ can positively affect the “relationship learning”; (2) the hypothesis presuming “specific assets”, “communication” and “perceived satisfaction”, “commitment” and “dependency” can positively affect the “relationship trust” is supported. In addition, the hypothesis presuming“behavioral uncertainty” negatively affects the “relationship trust” is not supported. The both-sides negotiation based on common benefit is the main reason for behavior and record adjustment of coaches and players in a college class team. Thus, the possibility of distrust can be declined and the relationship between the “behavioral uncertainty” and “relationship trust” proves nonsignificant; (3) the hypotheses presuming the “relationship learning” and “relationship trust” can positively affect the “learning effect” and the “relationship trust” can positively affect “relationship learning” are both supported; (4) the hypothesis presuming the “higher degree of trust will decline positive effect of the relationship learning and learning effect” is not supported. The reason is that the coach and players have the common benefit and the team also establishes a good and completed motivation system; thus, it can reduce the potential problem whereby the traditional business partners generally filter the negative or critical information, even the opportunistic behavior. According to these results, we further provide recommendations and hope these could be a reference for the coach in real training; moreover, can they improve the effect of the whole training and achieve the goal.