Open AccessConstruction Contractor’s Initial Reactions and Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic in the South Central US
Author(s) -
Heather N. Yates,
Sanjeev Adhikari,
Rachel Mosier
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
epic series in built environment
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Conference proceedings
ISSN - 2632-881X
DOI - 10.29007/5pn5
Subject(s) - notice , focus group , thematic analysis , pandemic , covid-19 , order (exchange) , survey data collection , focus (optics) , triangulation , public relations , thematic map , business , computer science , political science , marketing , sociology , geography , qualitative research , medicine , mathematics , social science , law , pathology , optics , statistics , physics , cartography , disease , finance , infectious disease (medical specialty)
Based on the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, businesses throughout the US were affected by closures, by status as essential or nonessential businesses, and by other new and unforeseen regulations which were implemented with little notice. In order to understand how these changes affected construction contractors, a short survey was created. The survey was initially distributed in May 2020, so responses are based on initial reactions to the pandemic. The survey questions included both yes/no and long-answer response types. Additionally, virtual focus group discussions occurred through a university industry advisory board and the local AGC chapter. The multiple data sources provided an opportunity of the triangulation of the data to produce a more robust view of the issue. From the survey long-answer questions and the focus group discussions, a thematic analysis was performed. Many themes were found in all three sources demonstrating the most common responses in regards to safety and operations.