Multicountry Perspectives of Relational Contracting and Integrated Project Teams
Publication: Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 138, Issue 4
Abstract
Worldwide calls for integration in construction translate into needs for relational alignment of both structural and operational arrangements, in order to successfully streamline the combined efforts of diverse interacting parties, for improved project delivery. Appropriate applications of relational contracting (RC) principles can help to achieve such integration. As such, the aims of the reported study are to examine the relative usefulness of various potential factors and strategies and to offer suitable contractual and noncontractual incentives, for building an RC culture and building integrated project teams (IPTs) in construction. Results from statistical analyses of 224 questionnaire responses from five countries are presented. Trust and trust-based operational arrangements are seen to effectively offer the required incentives for implementing various RC-based arrangements in construction where top management commitment and their support play a vital role. The choices of country-specific approaches suggest various patterns of integration through project-based partnering type RC, e.g., cliental initiative and removing client related barriers in Hong Kong, removing uncongenial organizational and/or system-based barriers from the client’s side in Australia, teamworking by cliental initiatives through contractual arrangements in The Netherlands, removing organizational and/or system-based barriers in the U.K., importance of trust and communication-related factors in Singapore, with no specific strategy in this respect. The outcomes also suggest the need for a highly interrelated and consolidated approach for spreading RC. Outcomes of this study are expected to benefit both industry practitioners and researchers in exploring, designing, and implementing various RC-based working arrangements.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
Black, C., Akintoye, A., and Fitzgerald, E. (2000). “An analysis of success factors and benefits of partnering in construction.” Int. J. Proj. Manage., 18(6), 423–434.IPMAEL
Chan, A. P. C., Chan, D. W. M., Chiang, Y. H., Tang, B. S., Chan, E. H. W., and Ho, K. S. K. (2004). “Exploring critical success factors for partnering in construction projects.” J. Constr. Eng. Manage., 130(2), 188–198.JCEMD4
Construction Industry Review Committee (CIRC). (2001). Construct for excellence, Rep. of the Construction Industry Review Committee, Hong Kong.
Construction 2020. (2004). Construction 2020: A vision for Australia’s property and construction industry. Cooperative Research Centre for Construction Innovation, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Construction 21. (1999). Re-inventing construction, Ministry of Manpower and Ministry of National Development, Singapore.
Egan, J. (1998). Rethinking construction, Construction Task Force (CTF) Rep., Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, London.
Eisenberg, M. A. (2000). “The emergence of dynamic contract law.” Calif. Law Rev., 88(6), 1743–1814.CLARDJ
Hinton, P. R. (2004). Statistics explained, 2nd Ed., Routledge, London.
Kumaraswamy, M. M., Rahman, M. M., Ling, F. Y. Y., and Phng, S. T. (2005). “Reconstructing cultures for relational contracting.” J. Constr. Eng. Manage., 131(10), 1065–1075.JCEMD4
Larson, E. (1995). “Project partnering: Results of study of 280 construction projects.” J. Manage. Eng., 11 (2), 30–35.JMENEA
McFadden, E. M., and Ernzen, J. J. (2003). “Partnered project performance at the city of Phoenix.” Proc., Construction Research Congress—Winds of change: Integration and innovation in construction, Molenaar, K. R. and Chinowsky, P. S., ASCE, Reston, VA.
Process and System Innovation in Building and Construction (PSIB). (2004). Inventory of international reforms in building and construction, PSIB Program, Government Building Agency, The Netherlands Government, Hague.
Rahman, M. M., and Kumaraswamy, M. M. (2004). “Contracting relationship trends and transitions.” J. Manage. Eng., 20(4), 147–161.JMENEA
Rahman, M. M., and Kumaraswamy, M. M. (2005). “Relational selection for collaborative working arrangements.” J. Constr. Eng. Manage., 131(10), 1087–1098.JCEMD4
Rahman, M. M., and Kumaraswamy, M. M. (2008). “Relational contracting and teambuilding: Assessing potential contractual and non-contractual incentives.” J. Manage. Eng.JMENEA, 24(1), 48–63.
Rahman, M. M., Kumaraswamy, M. M., Ling, F. Y. Y., and Ling, F. Y. Y. (2007). “Building a relational contracting culture and integrated teams.” Can. J. Civ. Eng., 34(1), 75–88.CJCEB8
Walker, A. (2002). Project management in construction, 4th Ed., Blackwell Science, Oxford.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
© 2012. American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jul 29, 2009
Accepted: Aug 8, 2011
Published online: Aug 10, 2011
Published in print: Apr 1, 2012
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.