Relational Risk Management in Construction Projects: Modeling the Complexity

Abstract

Relational risk management (RM) in multiorganizational construction projects addresses uncertainty about collaborative working performance. Relational risk constitutes a multifaceted management problem that substantially influences the project’s success. Pragmatic approaches, such as relational contracting and stakeholder management, guide relational RM in construction projects. Yet the theoretical explication of the fundamental nature and processes of relational risk and relational RM is insufficient for capturing the full potential of these management approaches. This paper describes research intended to provide a conceptual model for relational RM in collaboration-intense construction management projects that is based on grounded theory analysis of interviews and a review of theory bases (lenses). Relational RM is uncovered within communication channels on multiple organizational levels and serves the main functions of learning and incentivizing. The results of this research promote a flexible, multilevel management approach in construction project organizations. Moreover, they suggest that the research community should adopt complexity thinking more extensively in exploring informal management functions.