Exploring Relationships between National Culture and Infrastructure Sustainability Using QCA

Abstract

Cultural factors are unavoidable in the infrastructure construction process, and understanding relationships between culture and infrastructure sustainability (IS) will help increase IS levels. A qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) method is adopted to find what combinations of culture dimensions with different level of scores affect IS. First, data are collected through the Envision System, comprising scores of 12 projects in five IS aspects. Second, by QCA procedures, specific combinations of culture dimensions that contribute to projects’ behaving well in IS aspects are generated then discussed with the aid of Hofstede’s theory. The findings show that project owners’ attitudes and behaviors influenced by their national culture differ when an infrastructure project is implemented, resulting in different scores in IS aspects for the 12 infrastructure projects. Finally, a framework is established based on QCA results to reveal the relationship between culture and IS. Obtaining information on the relationship is of great importance for helping infrastructure owners change their attitudes and behaviors to increase IS levels.