Global Collaborative Network of Skyscraper Projects from 1990 to 2010: Temporal Evolution and Spatial Characteristics

Abstract

With architecture, engineering, and construction projects tending to be larger and more complex, their participating organizations are becoming more diversified and internationalized. This is particularly true for megaprojects that require higher levels of specialized workforces and exhibit more complicated organizational relationships. To examine the characteristics of megaproject collaboration from a dynamic network perspective, this research selected skyscraper projects as a featured megaproject field. A total of 422 completed skyscraper projects over 250 m in height that were built from 1990 to 2010 worldwide, as well as more than 1,100 participating organizations, were analyzed using social network analysis. Increasingly tight and interwoven collaborative relationships in the discrete-time global skyscraper networks were found, and design firms played a vital role by holding central network positions over time, indicating the importance of the design phase in skyscraper projects. The distinctive interregional and/or intraregional collaboration features were revealed at different geographical settings. Designers, especially those from North America, Europe, and Oceania, were also more active and thus successful in participating in skyscraper projects abroad, mostly in Asia and the Middle East, whereas the general contractors were more generally involved in local projects. The identified preferential attachment phenomenon and regional collaborative features led to the network topology dynamics. This study not only contributes to an holistic understanding of the status quo and development trends of the skyscraper industry integrating network theory with megaproject management, but also provides a reference for corporate practices and decision making in the specific megaproject field.