Collaborative risk management processes: a constructive case study

Abstract

Risk management (RM) has been identified as an essential factor for success in complex construction projects in which it needs to be based on collaboration and coordination between participant organizations. The complexity approach to project management suggests basing management processes on integration and communication between organizations. However, the literature is scarce on both complexity-based and collaborative applications of RM. Herein, a constructive case study approach is applied to propose, test and analyse three processes for collaborative RM in a Finnish shopping centre construction project. The constructs include (1) a risk workshop, (2) a process for involving the contractors in RM and (3) a process of utilizing performance feedback for RM. The findings suggest that the constructs usefully complement single-organization-focused RM approaches. Researchers and practitioners are encouraged to take advantage of the complexity approach to project RM and advance the standard frameworks to meet the needs of complex multi-organizations.