Risk Management in Sustainable Construction Projects: A Systematic Review and Bibliometric Analysis

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Industrial Engineering, Engineering Faculty, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran.

2 Assistant Prof., Department of Industrial Engineering, Engineering Faculty, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Objective
In recent years, with the expansion of the concept of sustainable development in the life cycle of construction projects and the dynamic and eventful nature of these projects, the issue of sustainable risk management has garnered increasing attention from researchers. However, the lack of systematic reviews and bibliometric analyses of published research in this field has obscured the future perspectives and evolution of this area of study. This study aims to evaluate and synthesize the existing body of literature to identify potential research gaps and delineate the boundaries of knowledge in the risk management of sustainable construction projects (SCPs).
 
Methods
This study is descriptive-analytical and is classified as a systematic review in terms of implementation method. The PRISMA guidelines were adopted for the systematic review of the literature, including descriptive and content analysis. In this process, 1,630 articles published in the Scopus and Web of Science databases from 2015 to 2023 were retrieved and screened, resulting in 113 eligible articles for analysis. To complete the systematic literature review, a bibliometric analysis encompassing co-authorship and keyword co-occurrence analysis was conducted using VOSviewer software for a more comprehensive evaluation of the field of risk management in sustainable construction projects (SCPs).
 
Results
Regarding the descriptive analysis of the retrieved papers based on the year of publication and their frequency in various journals, it was found that research on risk management in sustainable construction projects (SCPs) has increased in recent years. The content analysis of the articles, based on research themes, indicated that the articles were classified into five main themes: general risks of sustainability, sustainable procurement, supply chain, technology adoption, and human resources. A deeper exploration of the papers revealed that SCPs' risks were primarily categorized into eight dimensions: financial and economic; social; executive, managerial, and organizational; knowledge and skills; governmental and legal; stakeholders/employers; environmental; and technology, equipment, and resources. According to the research methods, experimental and applied research contributions in SCPs' risk management were less prevalent compared to descriptive and review research. This highlights opportunities for conducting applied research that addresses various problems and assumptions. In terms of strategy, a significant number of papers employed the survey method, with some based on case studies. Given that the accuracy and generalizability of survey research results are typically higher than those of case studies, there is a noticeable preference for the survey strategy among researchers. Additionally, researchers often used statistical analysis methods to assess SCPs' risks. According to the bibliometric analysis and the keyword co-occurrence results in the field of SCPs' risk management, it is anticipated that future researchers will focus more on concepts, approaches, and fields such as the circular economy, recycling, risk assessment, factor analysis, leadership in energy and environment, developing countries, and questionnaire surveys.
 
Conclusion
According to the findings, future articles are expected to focus on completing the puzzle of sustainability risk management systems in sustainable construction projects (SCPs), specifically addressing identification, evaluation, control, and response to risk. This focus should be particularly prominent in developing countries and should be approached through experimental and applied studies utilizing mixed methods and hybrid approaches under uncertainty. Various studies have examined barriers and risks in construction projects from different sustainability perspectives, such as economic, environmental, and social. However, the economic dimension has received more attention from researchers than others, which does not provide a comprehensive assessment of the risks associated with sustainable projects. Such comprehensive studies are crucial for the efficient allocation of resources. The primary contribution of this research to the bibliometric analysis of SCPs' risk management lies in its unique approach to determining the direction of future research.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

 
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Industrial Management Journal
Volume 16, Issue 2
2024
Pages 303-333

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