Success in Interrelated Supply Chain: An Analysis of the Human Behaviour Under Crisis

Abstract

A wealth of studies is available on the key success factors of managing interrelated projects in a construction supply chain. The human factor, however, is often overlooked in normative success solutions. According to classical management theory, individuals are expected to act rationally and maximise their utility. Although, due to an individual's computational and cognitive abilities, decision-makers often choose the first satisfactory course of action rather than searching for the optimal course of action, particularly during times of crisis. This study adopted a surrogate model to conduct a series of laboratory simulations that involved human behaviour. A comprehensive literature review was conducted to determine the experiment design, followed by sixteen hours of experiments that spanned two countries investigating decision-making behaviour within two prominent management models: the traditional and collaborative models. In order to identify patterns in the perception of the participants regarding real success factors, a content analysis was performed on their questionnaire responses. This analysis identified three key characteristics of construction success and the top characteristics required to succeed under each model investigated. By sharing these insights and lessons learned, teams can gain a deeper understanding of what it takes to succeed in a competitive environment.