Enhancing decision-making in construction projects – The mediating role of adaptability and response strategy in supply chain and coordination dynamics

The proposed study addresses the lack of empirical research on integrated supply chain and coordination practices in construction projects within Coastal Karnataka. To fill the gap, a survey was done among a broad group of practising civil engineers, including Public Works Department engineers, contractors, proprietors, and consultants, each chosen for project management, supply chain coordination, logistics, and procurement skills. Data triangulation was done with five industrial experts before the actual survey. Given the hard-to-reach nature of the expert group, snowball sampling was used. The data were analyzed using partial least squares-based structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) to check the links among Supplier and Logistics Management, Construction Coordination, Adaptability and Response Strategy, and Decision-Making and Planning Strategy. The results show that Supplier and Logistics Management strongly improve Construction Coordination, improving both the Adaptability and Response Strategy and the Decision-Making and Planning Strategy. Adaptability and Response Strategy fully mediate the link between Construction Coordination and Decision-Making and Planning Strategy. The model showed strong reliability, with Cronbach's alpha (0.724–0.840) and Average Variance Extracted (0.604–0.652). Predictive relevance values (0.425–0.591) confirm the model is strong and works for off-sample data. Findings show that integrating supply chain management and promoting adaptability are key for better Construction Coordination and Decision-Making in construction projects. The study gives practical insights for project managers and stakeholders in Coastal Karnataka. High predictive relevance values make the model valuable for construction practitioners in similar high-risk settings.