Improving Design Performance by Alliance between Contractors and Designers in International Hydropower EPC Projects from the Perspective of Chinese Construction Companies

Qingzhen Zhang, Wenzhe Tang, Jersey Liu, Colin F. Duffiel, Felix Kin Peng Hui, Lihai Zhang and Xuteng Zhang
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Qingzhen Zhang: Department of Hydraulic Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Wenzhe Tang: Department of Hydraulic Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Jersey Liu: Department of Hydraulic Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
Colin F. Duffiel: Department of Infrastructure Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
Felix Kin Peng Hui: Department of Infrastructure Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
Lihai Zhang: Department of Infrastructure Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
Xuteng Zhang: Department of Hydraulic Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Hydroscience and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 4, 1-24

Abstract: Extant literature lacks a systematic framework addressing the mechanisms of the alliance functional process and its impacts on management activities together with performance in delivering Engineering–procurement–construction (EPC) projects. This study quantitatively investigates the cause–effect relationships among these themes by building and validating a conceptual model of contractor–designer alliance in international hydropower EPC projects. With the support of data collected from an industry survey, the results reveal the key design problems, application of contractor–designer alliance, design management level and performance, which form a sound basis for design management emphasis in EPC activities, e.g., sufficiently considering sustainability of hydropower projects by incorporating environmental, social, and economic factors into designs. The path analysis indicates that the contractor–designer alliance can not only improve design performance by enhancing design management, but also directly promote design performance. This research has significant contributions to the body of knowledge by building interdisciplinary linkages between the areas of alliance, design management, and performance, theoretically demonstrating the mechanism of how interfirm cooperation functions to achieve superior design outcomes of hydropower EPC projects. Understanding these causal relationships will be crucial for contractors and designers to optimally allocate their complementary resources for seeking better design solutions in dealing with both technical issues and sustainability factors.

Keywords: hydropower; project management; engineering-procurement-construction; design management; design performance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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