TECHNICAL PAPERS
Jul 15, 2003

Cultural Considerations in International Construction Contracts

Publication: Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 129, Issue 4

Abstract

International construction projects involve multinational participants from different political, legal, economic, and cultural backgrounds. As one of the major issues affecting the management of international construction projects, culture deserves wide research. This paper aims to establish a valid groundwork for further research on the impact of cultural issues on contractual arrangements; conflict causation, and the selection of dispute resolution mechanisms for international construction projects. The paper reviews the characteristics of international construction activities and discusses the cultural context. It sets the research background for disseminating the findings of two surveys, carried out in Hong Kong and in London and Sydney. The study identifies the important features expected for the contract of international construction projects and ascertains their significance to further in-depth research.

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Published In

Go to Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 129Issue 4August 2003
Pages: 375 - 381

History

Received: Feb 6, 2001
Accepted: Jul 1, 2002
Published online: Jul 15, 2003
Published in print: Aug 2003

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Authors

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Edwin H. W. Chan
Associate Professor, Dept. of Building and Real Estate, The Hong Kong Polytechnic Univ., Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR.
Raymond Y. C. Tse
Professor, International City University of America, Asian House, 1 Hennessy Rd., Hong Kong SAR.

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