Abstract:
There is a need to investigate the causes and sources of conflict and dispute in association with construction working relationships. How relationship quality may be affected by these causes and sources, and subsequently dispute is triggered, is still unexplored or at least unclassified. The research reported in this paper uses a three-stage approach to identify the sources of dispute and then explore the variation of relationship quality during a dispute event. A comprehensive literature search and then a review of litigation cases in New Zealand during the past 5 years were performed. Finally interviews with dispute resolution and construction experts are conducted. It is observed that three sources of (1) project uncertainties, (2) contract and processes, and (3) people and behavior are the common causes of conflict and dispute. However dispute triggers are different from the causes which created the conflict at the beginning. It is also acknowledged that three factors of (1) contract provision, (2) evidence, and (3) reasoning are required for successful claim handling and dispute prevention. Based on the ability to use these factors in dispute handling, relationship quality can be preserved or deteriorated.