Developing Professional Integrity Indicators for Chief Supervision Engineers in China

Abstract

Chief supervision engineers (CSEs) are often employed by owners to address issues related to health, safety, and quality at jobsites in China. Like other professional practitioners, professional ethics, especially individual integrity, is one of the most critical factors for professional performance. However, very few research efforts have been made to explore the professional integrity of CSEs. Given that, this study proposed a conceptual model. It contains three packages: integrity basics (IB), performance-related integrity (PRI), and law-abiding-related integrity (LRI). To verify its reliability and validity, an internal consistency test and confirmatory factor analysis were applied. Statistical results indicate that the model has good reliability and validity. Moreover, the structural equation model was also performed to validate the causal relationship between integrity indicators and the professional integrity of the CSE. The results show that all the indicators of the three dimensions had positive impacts on the professional integrity of CSEs. The primary contribution of this research to the body of knowledge is to develop a reliable and practical model for the assessment of the professional integrity of CSEs and provide an easy-to-use tool for selection of CSEs.