The moderating role of emerging technologies on the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 and the performance of construction projects: the case of Pakistan
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) on the outcome of construction projects and explore the moderating effects of emerging technologies on the relationship between COVID-19 and construction project outcomes.
Design/methodology/approach
Data for the study was collected through a Web-based, semistructured questionnaire. The responses of 62 construction practitioners were analyzed using a hierarchical linear regression model. The model consists of 16 independent variables, three control variables (organization size, organization type and project size), one moderator (adoption level of emerging technologies) and three dependent variables (project time, project cost and project quality).
Findings
The study confirms the negative significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the performance of construction projects. It also identifies the significant moderating effects of emerging technologies in mitigating the impact of COVID-19 on construction projects. Further, it shows a significant increase in the application of emerging technologies in construction projects during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the findings related to the moderating impact of the technology, this study provides a clear set of recommendations for construction firms, public sector and research community in combating the unavoidable situation similar to the COVID-19 pandemic in the future.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to identify the moderating role of technology on the impact of COVID-19 on the performance of the construction sector in Pakistan. The findings can also be used for the construction sectors of other developing countries.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Data availability statement: The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request (survey responses, etc.).
Citation
Ayat, M., Qureshi, S.M., , M. and Kang, C. (2023), "The moderating role of emerging technologies on the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 and the performance of construction projects: the case of Pakistan", Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEDT-01-2023-0033
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited