Multidimensional drivers: exploring contractor rule violations in the construction industry

Purpose This research aims to build a three-tiered driver system that entices contractor rule violations and explores the importance and the relationships among these drivers, hence providing theoretical support for the contractor rule violations governance. Design/methodology/approach A literature review based on fraud diamond theory identified drivers from Pressure, Opportunity, Rationalization and Capability that drive contractor rule violations. In the Chinese context, through feedback, discussion and analysis of semistructured interviews with ten experts, an improved three-tiered driver system was drafted. Based on this system, a survey was conducted and scored with experts to provide the data for this research. The decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) method was used to determine relationships and influences between factors, and the DEMATEL-based analytic network process method was used to weigh these factors. Findings This paper systematically studied the drivers of contractor rule violations, specifically, the results showed that pressure had an important driving effect across the driver system, and those five factors – poor cultural atmosphere, weak internal control, prior experience, moral disengagement and information asymmetry – had the most influence on contractor rule violations. The results also indicated the strong effect pressure has on enticing rule violations and revealed that culture atmosphere and internal company governance played crucial roles in the occurrence of rule violations. Practical implications This study provided construction practitioners with a robust tool to analyze the drivers of contractor rule violations. The rule violation drivers in the construction practice scenes identified in this study can provide more direct and effective violation-related guidance for contractors, regulators and the industry. Originality/value Based on the new perspective of fraud diamond, this paper systematically bulit a three-tiered driver system combining theory with practice. This study contributed to understand the driver mechanism of contractor rule violations especially the importance of internal factors of contractors, which provided theory reference for compliance governance of construction industry.