Collaborating Between the Construction Office and the Construction Site Under Collaborative Contracts
Kobra Gharouni Jafari1, Lara Mottee1, Jennifer Whyte1
- University of Sydney
Published in Proceedings of the International Conference on Smart and Sustainable Built Environment (SASBE 2024), edited by Ali GhaffarianHoseini, Amirhosein GhaffarianHoseini, Farzad Rahimian and Mahesh Babu Purushothaman. Springer Nature, Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering, volume 591, 2025, pages 526 to 533. DOI 10.1007/978-981-96-4051-5_51.
Abstract
During the construction phase, collaboration among project parties involved in the contract is a crucial factor for effectively delivering infrastructure projects. Yet, while researchers have assumed that implementing collaborative contracts will enhance collaboration, practically, there is evidence this is not always the case. This research investigates the challenges and opportunities of collaboration between organizations across the “office” and the “site” through a qualitative study of Australian water infrastructure projects utilizing collaborative contracts. To ensure a more focused approach to data collection and analysis, this research specifically examines the collaboration between clients and contractors among all organizations involved in office-based and onsite practices. By analyzing interviews with experts involved in these projects, the findings reveal three main areas where challenges and opportunities arise in collaboration under collaborative contracts during construction: contract implementation, collaboration competencies, and systems and processes. This research enriches the knowledge body by providing deeper insights into the distinct collaboration challenges and opportunities to address change events. While interviewees generally appreciate the opportunities provided by the contractual framework, they also highlighted specific challenges they faced in this area. However, they primarily struggle with issues related to collaboration competencies and systems and processes across the office and the site.
Keywords
Session
Presented in Track J, Saturday 9 November 2024, 11:00 to 13:00, room WA 224 B, Auckland University of Technology. Session chair Dr Eziaku Rasheed.
How to Cite
Gharouni Jafari, K., Mottee, L., & Whyte, J. (2025). Collaborating Between the Construction Office and the Construction Site Under Collaborative Contracts. In A. GhaffarianHoseini, A. GhaffarianHoseini, F. Rahimian, & M. B. Purushothaman (Eds.), Proceedings of the International Conference on Smart and Sustainable Built Environment (SASBE 2024) (Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering, Vol. 591, pp. 526–533). Springer Nature Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-96-4051-5_51
About the Conference
Presented at SASBE 2024, the International Conference on Smart and Sustainable Built Environment, held in Auckland from 7 to 9 November 2024 and chaired by Professors Ali and Amirhosein GhaffarianHoseini, founders of GDI Academy. The version of record is published by Springer Nature; this page is the conference archive record kept by GDI Academy.