Design-Build, innovation, and competition: The role of smaller contractors
Paper in proceeding, 2017

Design-build (DB) contracting can be used to promote innovation in the infrastructure sector. Alongside innovation, public clients often wish to encourage competition. At a first glance, these two ambitions could be conflicting. More risk on the contractors stemming from DB might not appeal to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as they, ceteris paribus, have a risk disadvantage compared to larger firms. The research question is how more DB contracting will affect competition from a SME perspective. A simple model is provided to show how DBB stimulates competition and DB encourages innovation. Supported by semi-structured SME interviews from Sweden, it is discussed how the hybrid version of a controlled DB contract is inferior to alternative contract designs. The controlled DB contract does not stimulate competition nor provide incentives for innovation

construction

competition

infrastructure

contracts

innovation

Author

Johan Nyström

The Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI)

Jan Bröchner

Chalmers, Technology Management and Economics, Service Management and Logistics

Svante Mandell

The Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI)

Proceedings of the International Conference on Construction and Real Estate Management 2017

11-18
978-0-7844-8108-0 (ISBN)

2017 International Conference on Construction and Real Estate Management: Project Management and Construction Technology, ICCREM 2017
Guangzhou, China,

Subject Categories

Production Engineering, Human Work Science and Ergonomics

Civil Engineering

Business Administration

Areas of Advance

Building Futures (2010-2018)

Driving Forces

Innovation and entrepreneurship

DOI

10.1061/9780784481080.002

More information

Latest update

3/10/2022