Coercive pressure as a moderator of organizational structure and risk management: Empirical evidence from Malaysian construction industry.

INTRODUCTION: The construction industry in Malaysia has been bedevilled by myriads of risk issues that have hampered its smooth operations in recent times. This paper is an empirical assessment that aims to examine the effect of coercive pressure on the relationship between organizational structure and construction risk management among construction industry in Malaysia. METHOD: Based on the proposed model, a quantitative method was employed to obtain data from G7 construction industry operating within the peninsular Malaysia. Out of the 180 copies of questionnaire, 165 copies were properly filled, returned, and used for the analysis. PLS-SEM was used to analyze the obtained data. RESULTS: The findings of the study affirmed that specialization, centralization, and management of risk by the construction industry had positive correlation. CONCLUSIONS: As anticipated, coercive pressure had positive moderating correlation with both formalization and the management of risk by the construction industry. Similarly, it was also found that in the course of carrying out construction activities, coercive pressure made significant interactive influence on formalization, specialization, and centralization. Practical Applications: Coercive pressure reduced the frequency of accidents among workers in the process of carrying out construction works.

The Influence of Organizational External Factors on Construction Risk Management among Nigerian Construction Companies.

BACKGROUND: Substantial empirical research has shown conflicting results regarding the influence of organizational external factors on construction risk management, suggesting the necessity to introduce a moderator into the study. The present research confirmed whether rules and regulations matter on the relationships between organizational external factors and construction risk management. METHODS: Based on discouragement and organizational control theory, this research examined the effects of organizational external factors and rules and regulations on construction risk management among 238 employees operating in construction companies in Abuja and Lagos, Nigeria. A personally administered questionnaire was used to acquire the data. The data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling. RESULTS: A significant positive relationship between organizational external factors and construction risk management was asserted. This study also found a significant positive relationship between rules and regulations and construction risk management. As anticipated, rules and regulations were found to moderate the relationship between organizational external factors and construction risk management, with a significant positive result. Similarly, a significant interaction effect was also found between rules and regulations and organizational external factors. Implications of the research from a Nigerian point of view have also been discussed. CONCLUSION: Political, economy, and technology factors helped the construction companies to reduce the chance of risk occurrence during the construction activities. Rules and regulations also helped to lessen the rate of accidents involving construction workers as well as the duration of the projects. Similarly, the influence of the organizational external factors with rules and regulations on construction risk management has proven that most of the construction companies that implement the aforementioned factors have the chance to deliver their projects within the stipulated time, cost, and qualities, which can be used as a yardstick to measure a good project.