Researcher

Professor Tak Wing (Kenneth) Yiu

My Expertise

Professor Tak Wing  (Kenneth) Yiu is an internationally recognized researcher in the field of ‘soft power’ of construction professionals that reflects their non-technical capability and the importance of putting people and soft issues in the construction industry to achieve a collaborative, safe, and amicable business environment. He has a strong interest in adopting a multi-disciplinary approach to study complex issues of human behaviors in the Built Environment from contract management, dispute management and safety management perspectives. He is also interested in investigating the opportunities (economic and social benefits) and risks (privacy, data-sharing & security, ethics) of technology adoption in the Built Environment. 

Keywords

Fields of Research (FoR)

Building, Building construction management and project planning, Automation and technology in building and construction, Building organisational studies, Business ethics, Occupational and workplace health and safety, Business information management (incl. records, knowledge and intelligence), Sociology and social studies of science and technology, Industrial and employee relations

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Biography

Professor (Kenneth) Tak Wing Yiu started his professorial appointment in the School of Built Environment, UNSW Sydney, in January 2023. He has brought 18 years of experience with three universities in Hong Kong (City University of Hong Kong) and New Zealand (University of Auckland and Massey University).

Professor Yiu is a world-renowned researcher in Construction Management. His research focuses on the ‘soft power’ of construction...view more

Professor (Kenneth) Tak Wing Yiu started his professorial appointment in the School of Built Environment, UNSW Sydney, in January 2023. He has brought 18 years of experience with three universities in Hong Kong (City University of Hong Kong) and New Zealand (University of Auckland and Massey University).

Professor Yiu is a world-renowned researcher in Construction Management. His research focuses on the ‘soft power’ of construction professionals that reflects their non-technical capability and the importance of putting people and soft issues in the construction industry to achieve a collaborative, safe, and amicable business environment. He has a strong interest in researching human behaviors from contract management, dispute resolution, and safety management perspectives. He is also interested in investigating the opportunities (economic and social benefits) and risks (privacy, data-sharing & security, ethics) of technological adoptions in the Built Environment. His research is multi- and inter-disciplinary. Collaboration always extends to the fields of Engineering, Law, Psychology, and Computer Science. His research in a number of areas has been internationally recognized and acknowledged as being at the forefront of his field.

Professor Yiu is a prolific researcher. As of today, he has already produced more than 100 research outputs, including international refereed journal articles, research monographs, book chapters, and conference papers. His research networks cover different countries/regions such as New Zealand, Hong Kong, Mainland China, the Netherlands, Singapore, the United States of America, Japan, Malaysia, and the United Kingdom. He is currently the associate editor of two international journals (ASCE Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction and the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE)’s international journal Management, Procurement and Law). Recently he was elected to be the Editorial Board Member of an international journal - Safety Science.

In addition to his administrative responsibilities as a faculty member, Professor Yiu was an elected member of Senate (also called Academic Board) and Deputy Head of Department (Academic) at the University of Auckland as well as the Research Lead of the School of the Built Environment of the Massey University. In these roles, he has actively advised and contributed to strategy- and/or policy-related matters at the School and University levels. Professor Yiu is committed to serving the School, the Faculty, and the University at large. Professor Yiu also actively serves two major professional institutions, The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), as an Assessor for various professional activities (e.g., Assessment of Professional Competence and Accreditations of Construction Programmes). His strong peer review experiences and diversity of skills in construction management enable him to be an External Assessor for other funding bodies in Hong Kong and New Zealand Governments. He is now the Member of the College of Assessors, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), New Zealand, and the External Assessor of the Research Grants Council (RGC) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government.


My Grants

  • Building Research Levy Fund, Building Research Association of New Zealand (BRANZ) (PI, 2020-2022); (PI, 2020-2022)
  • National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) - (CoI, 2023-2026);(CoI, 2019-2022)
  • Visiting Fellowship 2014, Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) (PI)
  • General Research Fund (GRF), University Grants Council, Hong Kong SAR Government (PI, awarded, but withdrew due to relocation, 2010);
  • Competitive Earmarked Research Grant (CERG), University Grants Council, Hong Kong SAR Government - (CoI, 2008-2010); (Co-I, 2007-2009)

My Qualifications

  • Ph.D. in Construction Management, City University of Hong Kong, 2005
  • B.Sc. (First-class Honours) in Quantity Surveying, City University of Hong Kong, 2001
  • Professional Member, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (MRICS) - Chartered Quantity Surveyor
  • Chartered Member, The Chartered Institute of Building (MCIOB) - Chartered Construction Manager 
  • Member, American Society of Civil Engineers (MASCE)

 


My Awards

  • Best Paper Award (Runner Up) - ASCE Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction (2019)
  • Best Paper Award - The 6th International Conference on Construction Engineering and Project Management, Oct 11-14, Busan, Korea (2015)
  • Fellowship - Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)(2014) ASCE Outstanding Reviewer – ASCE Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction (2013, 2019)
  • Best Forum or Synopsis Paper Award - ASCE Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction (2012)
  • Grand Prize - the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors Outstanding Dissertation Award – PhD Category (2002)

My Research Activities

The following are Kenneth's research activities: 

‘Soft power’ of construction professionals that reflects their non-technical capability and the importance of putting people and soft issues in the construction industry to achieve a collaborative, safe, and amicable business environment. 

Human behaviors in the Built Environment from contract management, dispute management and safety management perspectives.

Opportunities (economic and social benefits) and risks (privacy, data-sharing & cyber-security, ethics) on technology adoptions in the Built Environment. 

 

Kenneth's publication metrics can be found here:

Scopus 

Web of Science 

Google Scholar


My Research Supervision


Supervision keywords


Areas of supervision

People in Construction 

Workforce Capability in Construction

Construction Health and Safety

Contract Managment

Construction Automation  


My Engagement

Academic Citizenships:

Professional Memberships: 

  • Professional Member, Quantity Surveying and Construction, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (MRICS)
  • Chartered Member, Chartered Institute of Building (MCIOB)
  • Professional Member, American Society of Civil Engineers (MASCE)

 

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Location

Room 3001, Level 3, The Red Center

Contact

+61 2 9348 1603