Exploring the Impact of Information and Communication Technology on Team Social Capital and Construction Project Performance

Abstract

This study aims to assess the impact of information and communication technology (ICT) on team social capital (SC) and project performance in the construction domain. A theoretical model of the relationships among different variables is built. In this model, two capabilities of ICT (connectivity and communality) and two types of SC (bridging and bonding) are considered, along with construction project performance. To validate the feasibility of this model, we conducted a survey involving 221 questionnaires. Results indicate that the hypotheses on the direct and indirect effects between connectivity and bonding are not significant, whereas the hypotheses on the remaining constructs are all significant. Specifically, the mediating effect of bonding on performance is stronger than that of bridging on performance. This study contributes to the construction project management and SC literature by focusing on changes in project-level team SC resulting from ICT use. Furthermore, this research has implications for understanding the influence mechanism of the previous changes on construction project performance. This study suggests that managers can implement a compatible information platform for project participants, whereas the role of ICT connectivity in promoting internal bonding strength should not be overestimated. Furthermore, managers should select different project organization members to balance bonding and bridging SC.