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Overcoming the Project Communications Management Breakdown amongst Foreign Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Biophilia Inveigled Construction Projects in Malaysia

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  • Chitdrakantan Subramaniam

    (Razak Faculty of Technology and Informatics, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Kuala Lumpur, Jalan Sultan Yahya Petra, Kuala Lumpur 54100, Malaysia)

  • Syuhaida Ismail

    (Razak Faculty of Technology and Informatics, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Kuala Lumpur, Jalan Sultan Yahya Petra, Kuala Lumpur 54100, Malaysia)

  • Serdar Durdyev

    (Department of Engineering and Architectural Studies, Ara Institute of Canterbury, Christchurch 8011, New Zealand)

  • Wan Nurul Mardiah Wan Mohd Rani

    (Razak Faculty of Technology and Informatics, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Kuala Lumpur, Jalan Sultan Yahya Petra, Kuala Lumpur 54100, Malaysia)

  • Nur Fatin Syazwani Abu Bakar

    (Razak Faculty of Technology and Informatics, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Kuala Lumpur, Jalan Sultan Yahya Petra, Kuala Lumpur 54100, Malaysia)

  • Audrius Banaitis

    (Department of Construction Management and Real Estate, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, 10223 Vilnius, Lithuania)

Abstract

The property sector is revitalised to incorporate sustainability, specifically the biophilic design, to encourage human interaction with nature. Thus, there is an urgent need to communicate the biophilic design elements amongst stakeholders, especially the foreign workers, to ensure the project meets the requirement. However, standard project communications management is no longer practical, as the construction industry worldwide has been severely impacted by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Hence, this paper evaluates the biophilic design elements to be communicated and examines the project communications management breakdown relating to the biophilic design elements in the Malaysian construction industry during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through a systematic literature review (SLR), focus group discussion (FGD) and questionnaire survey on 147 foreign workers, this paper found that from 33 biophilic design element items, only 1 item is categorised as highly critical, whereas another 20 items are categorised as critical. In addition, 43 potential communications management breakdown items from a total of 66 items fall under the critical category. The finding suggests that communication breakdown is caused by the language barrier amongst foreign workers from different ethnicities as well as between foreign workers and the supervisors, since face to face communication is limited during the pandemic.

Suggested Citation

  • Chitdrakantan Subramaniam & Syuhaida Ismail & Serdar Durdyev & Wan Nurul Mardiah Wan Mohd Rani & Nur Fatin Syazwani Abu Bakar & Audrius Banaitis, 2021. "Overcoming the Project Communications Management Breakdown amongst Foreign Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Biophilia Inveigled Construction Projects in Malaysia," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-19, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:14:y:2021:i:16:p:4790-:d:609741
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jeen Wei Ong & Guan Gan Gerald Goh & Choon Yih Goh & Hui Siang Sally Yong, 2019. "The green value chain construct: instrument validation and green practices among Malaysian corporations," World Review of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable Development, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 15(4), pages 494-512.
    2. M. M. M. Teo & M. Loosemore, 2001. "A theory of waste behaviour in the construction industry," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(7), pages 741-751.
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    1. Arif Budiarto & Nur Shalin Abdi & Dimas Bayu Endrayana Dharmowijoyo & Nursitihazlin Ahmad Termida & Basil David Daniel & Nur Sabahiah Abdul Sukor & Liza Evianti Tanjung, 2022. "Effects of Changes in Discretionary Trips and Online Activities on Social and Mental Health during Two Different Phases of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Malaysia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-24, October.
    2. Nadirah Hazwani Najib & Syuhaida Ismail & Rohayah Che Amat & Serdar Durdyev & Zdeňka Konečná & Abdoulmohammad Gholamzadeh Chofreh & Feybi Ariani Goni & Chitdrakantan Subramaniam & Jiří Jaromír Klemeš, 2022. "Stakeholders’ Impact Factors of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Sustainable Mixed Development Projects: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-19, August.

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