CONSTRUCTION ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN TERENGGANU, MALAYSIA: AN EXPLORATION OF THE INFLUENTIAL FORCES

Ever since hydrocarbon resources were exploited off the coast of Terengganu in 1978, a state in Peninsular Malaysia, its built environment underwent dramatic physical transformation arising from huge investments in first‐grade infrastructure and industrial facilities, largely hydrocarbon‐related in nature. Yet, more than two decades later, the stock and technical competencies of the local contractors have not been to the level one might expect, despite prolonged robust demand that should have acted as an alluring incentive for entrepreneurship. There were, of course, enabling factors such as favorable client and government interventions. However, the inhibitors ‐ economic model, socio‐cultural traits, institution, mix of construction demand and even the recent change in political landscape ‐ were found to exert an even greater influence. The findings of this study underscore the necessity of identifying the influential forces exerting on the construction community's operating environment before any construction entrepreneurial development programme is instituted so that realistic targets can be set. Furthermore, as different regions may possess different types and intensities of such forces, implementing standard policy prescription is likely to yield sub‐national diversity