Cultural Considerations in International Construction Contracts

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.