Exploring the sources of contractors’ competitive advantage on international HSR construction projects

This paper aims to identify the sources of competitive advantage for contractors on international high-speed railway (HSR) construction projects, to help them understand these sources, and to provide an integrated way of orienting their competitive position by measuring these driving variables. Based on an in-depth literature review and case analysis, 24 initial variables were identified. Following the pilot study, experience mining was merged into knowledge management. Structural questionnaires, including 23 final variables, were then distributed to professionals from academia and industry. A total of 202 valid responses were received. Mean score ranking and exploratory factor analyses were conducted to reveal the relative important variables and the underlying groupings, respectively. In the last section, a case study with five international contractors was conducted to show the method for assessing their comprehensive competitiveness. According to mean score ranking, the variable “construction safety” was the most important, with a mean value of 4.25. Following an exploratory factor analysis, six underlying factors from the SCA dimension (including management ability, strategic capital, and social influence) and the TCA dimension (including technical skills, operational performance, and financing ability) were identified as significant underlying sources of competitive advantage for contractors on international HSR projects. This study provides an in-depth understanding of sources of competitive advantage for contractors on international HSR projects, and it helps them in precisely orienting their competitive position.