A Comparative Study of Performance, Impediments, Advantages, and Disadvantages of Construction and Professional Disadvantaged Business Enterprises

摘要

Construction and professional disadvantaged, minority, and women business enterprises (DBE/MBE/WBEs) face several impediments that hinder their business growth. A questionnaire survey was conducted to determine the important factors that affect their business performance, impediments faced by these business enterprises, advantages, and disadvantages of being DBE (DBE will be an umbrella designation for DBE, MBE, and WBE). This study compares the difference in responses from these two groups. A total of 333 business enterprises responded to the questionnaire. The survey results showed that construction firms gave significantly higher importance to u22financialu22 issues and u22safe work practicesu22 as their most important factors for business performance than professional firms do. The construction firmsu27 ranked u22lack of technology,u22 u22unskilled manpower,u22 and u22expensive manpoweru22 as significant impediments to their business success as compared to professional firms. However, no significant difference was detected in the ranking of the advantages of being DBEs between these two groups. Regarding the disadvantages of being a DBE, construction firms ranked u22excessive bid shoppingu22 significantly higher than professional firms. The respondents also provided a set of recommendations for the government policy makers/ owners and prime contractors to improve the DBE status.