Real option theory for risk mitigation in transport PPPs

Purpose – Public-private partnerships (PPPs) require the analysis and allocation of a broad spectrum of risks which are considered more complex than in traditional construction contracts. Traditional risk management techniques tend to ignore the manager's ability to recognize and exploit opportunities, which arise as uncertainties are resolved over time and which could potentially increase the project's value. Therefore it is necessary that the risk management process takes account of the managerial flexibility (e.g. real options). The objective of this paper is to explore the possibilities and rationale for implementing real options strategies in the risk management process. Design/methodology/approach – The approach is based on a literature analysis aimed at identifying key risks and related mitigation strategies and on real option theory in order to model these strategies as managerial flexibilities that naturally exist or are built “artificially” in contractual conditions and clauses, guarantees, etc. Findings – The paper develops an option-based risk management framework that associates to each risk the related mitigation strategies, which are expressed in terms of real options. The latter is expressed over the project phases conditioned to the natural evolution of risks over time. Originality/value – This paper proposes a new “dynamic” risk management approach for PPP projects based on real options that improves the traditional risk management techniques by supporting the decision makers in finding a cost-effective combination of real options (or forms of flexibility) to embed in a PPP investment in order to optimally control risk and maximize investment value.