Identifying critical factors that affected construction project performance during COVID-19

Purpose Construction projects were significantly and negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and many researchers have examined the factors that affected the performance and resilience of construction projects during that critical and unusual time. Unlike this study, however, these studies were broad in their approach and provided general overviews of the unique problems caused by the virus. This study is more specific in its approach, as it both identifies the critical elements of the compromised performance and resilience of construction during this time and explores the interplay between them. Design/methodology/approach A survey was developed to gather information about why the resilience and performance of construction projects were so negatively impacted by COVID-19. Three types of analysis were employed to examine the 131 responses received: robust relative importance index (RII), agreement and correlation. Findings The RII analysis revealed that the main contributing factor was the unavailability of materials. The agreement analysis highlighted the relative unimportance of the scale and type of the organization, and the correlation analysis divulged strong relationships between some of the factors, such as skilled labor deficits and diminished labor efficiency, logistical constraints and availability of materials. Originality/value The insights provided by this study will equip construction industry stakeholders, policymakers and researchers with valuable guidelines for making decisions and maintaining resilience amid disruptions. It will also provide a framework for future studies and interventions aimed at fortifying the construction industry against similar crises.