The American Arbitration Association (AAA) has undertaken a number of reforms to the dispute resolution process, engendered by the 'quiet revolution' of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and its impact upon traditional arbitration mechanisms. This paper appraises the procedural changes which...

'Conflict' and 'dispute' are two distinct notions. The conceptual difference between the two is explored and further reviewed through the literature on conflict and dispute in the field of construction; a taxonomy for future study is also introduced. Conflict, it is proposed, exists wherever...

Set-off relates to the situation where a main contractor raises a counterclaim against a subcontractor's claim or where an employer raises a counterclaim against the main contractor. The alternative terms cross claim, counterclaim, contra charge, compensation and retention are explained in the...

This paper outlines the findings of an in-depth survey exploring the effective use of promotional brochures and other corporate literature in providing a competitive advantage in the marketing of contractual services in construction. The research project on which this paper is based involved...

Property companies are a key group in the economy of the built environment. The entrepreneurs that run property companies are responsible for initiating development projects and managing them. The risk incurred by participants in the development process, such as banks and construction firms, is...

Granger causality methodology is used to investigate lead-lag relationships between construction activity and aggregate economy. Using data from Hong Kong, the results of this paper suggest strongly that the GDP tends to lead the construction flow not vice versa. Our finding is contrary to the...

This communication is a response to the insightful note by Fellows on previous papers by the author. Not only has Fellows supplemented Chau's major arguments, he has also expanded the scope of discussion and raised new issues. While the author agrees with most of the points made by Fellows,...

This paper is concerned with identifying universal criteria for prequalification and bid evaluation, and the means by which different emphases can be accommodated to suit the requirements of clients and projects. The information, assessment and evaluation strategies currently used by procurers...

The evolution of the concept of sustainable development is used as a basis for advancing understanding of sustainable construction. Principles of sustainable construction are developed and divided into four 'pillars' - social, economic, biophysical and technical - with a set of over-arching,...

This paper focuses on the selection of procurement methods for small building works. While a range of procurement methods is needed to accommodate different types of small works, and procurement methods often are applied across different types, for any particular small works job (or group of...