Effects of main contractors' service quality on subcontractors' behaviours and project outcomes in the Chinese construction industry

While the concept of service quality is not new in construction, it seems that little research has documented the relationship between main contractors' service quality and subcontractors' behaviours and subcontractors' project outcomes. This relationship is particularly important considering the heavy reliance of subcontracting in construction. Thus, the aim of this study is to bridge main contractors' service quality with subcontractors' behaviours for better project outcomes in China’s construction industry. In align with this research aim, the objectives are to: 1) identify the dimensions of main contractors' service quality; 2) examine the relationships among the main contractors' service quality, subcontractors' behaviours and project outcomes; 3) examine the moderating effects of market and technological conditions on the exchanges between main contractors and subcontractors; and 4) develop and test a framework for service quality evaluation and improvement for main contractors. A conceptual framework has been developed, based on the social exchange theory, resource-based theory and complexity theories, and it is postulated that service quality of main contractors is a multi-dimensional construct, whereby each dimension could affect the contractual behaviours and organisational citizenship behaviours of their subcontractors, and in turn, the resultants will collectively influence overall project outcomes.In this study, a survey design was adopted and an industry-wide online questionnaire survey of 90 Chinese subcontractor company employees who have direct perceptions on main contractors' service quality was undertaken. The data collected was analysed using the partial least square structural equation modelling technique. The results reveal that the service quality of main contractors is a multi-dimensional concept, comprising: operation management, health and safety management, and communication management. These dimensions have significant impacts on both subcontractors' contractual and organisational citizenship behaviours, including seven positive impacts and three negative impacts (‘operation management' with ‘payment receiving' and ‘health and safety management' with ‘dispute response' and ‘communication management' with ‘dispute response'). However, it is notable that subcontractors' contractual behaviours do not have significant impacts on project outcomes. Furthermore, it is found that, three out of four dimensions of subcontractors' organisational citizenship behaviours have significant positive impacts on project outcomes, one of them is ‘guanxi' dimension. This implies that main contractors' service quality could affect subcontractors' project outcomes via social relationship exchanges, and thus demonstrating its high credence in the Chinese construction industry. Lastly, no moderating effect of the market and technological conditions was detected in the study. However, the result shows that market conditions have significant direct impacts on the contractual and organisational citizenship behaviours of subcontractors.It is concluded that social relationship exchange is a key in mapping the main contractors' service quality for better project outcomes. It is recommended that construction contractors to use the framework developed by this study to evaluate their service quality performance, and thereafter configure and implement better targeted strategies to improving specific dimensions of the service quality to help gaining the behavioural commitments of their subcontractors for better project outcomes.