Conflict and dispute in construction

‘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 there is incompatibility of interest, and therefore is pandemic. Conflict can be managed, possibly to the extent of preventing a dispute resulting from the conflict. Dispute is associated with distinct justiciable issues. Disputes require resolution. This means that they can be managed: the process of dispute resolution lends itself to third party intervention. The construction industry and the chemical process industry in the UK are compared, through perceptions and experiences of conflict and disputes arising from their two sets of standard contract forms. The methodology is a review of published cases and a survey conducted among professionals with experience. The paucity of research in this field is discussed and the empirical work on the causes of conflict and dispute is reviewed. It is concluded that effective management of conflicts and disputes would be furthered by separating the two fields, and particularly by applying a more stringent structuring.     

Survey of construction lawyers' attitudes and practice in the use of ADR in contractors' disputes

Continuing a survey of contractors' perceptions about alternative dispute resolution (ADR) this paper seeks to report an investigation of the level of involvement of legal advisors to the construction industry in the dispute resolution process and the perceptions that legal professionals have about the use of ADR in construction disputes. The research findings are that contractors are likely to involve lawyers in the dispute resolution procedure, particularly when disputes concern a legal issue, when the parties to the dispute are entrenched in their argument, or when the other party insists on using legal professional assistance. In these defined circumstances, legal advisors will be influential in determining the potential use of ADR. The paper concludes that lawyers are unlikely to recommend ADR for most disputes between contractors, particularly if the dispute resolution process is perceived to involve the use of delay by main contractors, if the parties are fixed in their arguments or if they are exhibiting adversarial behaviour in their approach to the dispute. In these circumstances lawyers and their clients prefer the force of the formal systems over conciliatory ADR procedures.     

国际工程项目争端的产生及解决方式评析

分析了国际工程合同争端产生的一些主要的原因,FIDIC合同条款中对争端的解决程序、解决方式,并对争端裁决委员会和争端审议委员会进行了对比分析,指出了国际工程项目提请仲裁时应注意的问题.     

建设工程领域新型替代性纠纷解决机制研究

我国建设纠纷诉讼成本高、效率低、周期长且现有的替代性纠纷解决方式普及率低、适用范围小,亟需构建建设工程替代性纠纷解决机制。为此,总结国际工程领域常见的替代性纠纷解决机制,比较不同方式的优点与不足。基于我国一般建设工程项目纠纷的争议焦点分析,结合现有的争议评审小组、争议评审委员会、监理工程师决定、早期中立人评估和争议裁决委员会等国内外纠纷解决机制,提出新型替代性纠纷解决机制——中立人咨询小组,并阐述中立人咨询小组的调解规则和优点。以期为减轻诉讼压力,节约司法资源,快速、高效、经济、公正、和谐地解决建设工程纠纷提供新渠道。     

谈建筑工程施工合同及其备案管理制度

阐述了实行施工合同备案制的必要性及重要性,分析了施工合同实行备案中存在的问题,提出了建设工程施工合同备案的对策和思路,以促使双方履行合同义务,减少合同纠纷,从而维护当事人的合法权益。     

At the cutting edge: conflict avoidance and resolution in the US construction industry

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 relate to the three distinct schemes: Fast Track Rules, Regular Track Rules, and Large Complex Case Rules; it also looks at parallel progress in mediation and partnering. The author concludes that the US construction industry has undergone, and continues to undergo, a transition from private adjudication, such as arbitration, through the ‘settlement-oriented interventions’ of ADR to more comprehensive approaches, as exemplified by partnering.     

集成项目交付（IPD）模式合同条件研究

合同条件是保证（IPD）模式成功实施的重要手段。通过阐述关系型合同区别于交易型合同的特点及优势，基于AIA、ConsensusDOCS 和定制型（以 IFOA 为例）三类典型合同文本，对过渡型、多方型和 SPE 型 3 种 IPD 合同的管理和决策制定、成本控制、成本补偿与激励、风险分配与控制和争议处理等关键要素进行分析，归纳出不同 IPD 合同类型所蕴含的管理理念，以利于 IPD 参与方对合同的理解和选择，为 IPD 模式在中国的应用与发展提供借鉴与启示。     

创建和谐的建设工程施工合同争议解决机制

阐述了创建和谐的建设工程施工合同争议解决机制的必要性,构建了和谐的建设工程施工合同争议解决机制的基本结构,针对性地分析了创建和谐的建设工程施工合同争议解决机制面临的主要问题,并提出了相应的解决途径。     

新版JCT标准建造合同条件与FIDIC土木工程施工合同条件的比较研究

JCT合同条件不仅在英国本土得到广泛使用,也被很多英国以外的国家和地区所认可。从合同结构、第三方合同管理者的权限、付款程序和内容、材料设备运输中的风险分配、工程索赔、争端解决等方面对新版JCT《标准建造合同》和FIDIC《土木工程施工合同条件》进行比较研究,发现与FIDIC合同条件相比,JCT合同条件在合同管理者对承包商人员变动的干预权方面的规定更有利于业主,而在业主对承包商选择分包商的确定权、工程付款程序、材料设备运输中的风险分配等方面的规定更有利于承包商。     

STRATEGIC INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS IN CONTRACT BIDDING: FRAMEWORK FOR DEVELOPMENT OF A DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM

The results of a case study involving two major construction contracting companies are presented indicating the informational and other needs and considerations of construction contract bidding adjudication decision makers. A strategic information model is described and the development of prototype decision support system based on Executive Information System Technology.     

施工合同范本修订过程中争议解决机制设计

1999年版《建设工程施工合同(示范文本)》中缺乏工程争端替代解决方法的制度设计。通过对国内外工程合同模式的分析,指出工程师作为合同争议调解人的困境,认为专家调解机制应该成为适合我国国情的工程争端替代解决方法,并提出引入这一机制尚需解决的问题。     

构建国内DAB争议解决机制相关问题分析

良好的争议解决方式不仅可以使争议双方能够在宽松、和谐的氛围下有效地解决工程合同纠纷问题,而且对争议双方友好合作关系的维持和稳固具有重要影响。通过实地调研和查阅国内外文献,结合新版FIDIC施工合同文本中推荐的DAB争议解决方式的相关理论和实践情况,对DAB方式的程序和特点进行了介绍,并从时间、费用、专业性、解决效果4个方面将其与国内工程合同争议解决办法进行了对比,并分析了我国建立DAB争议解决机制所存在的问题,从观念思维、法律制度、行业环境、人才培养等方面对我国DAB争议解决机制的建立和完善提出了建议和改进措施。     

建设工程施工合同管理的索赔

介绍了索赔的法律效力、索赔当事人的平等权利，索赔是合同的补充, 其实质上也是承发包双方承担工程风险的比例再分配，相信在工程建设施工阶段，索赔和反索赔会日益得到重视，索赔也会成为建设工程合同管理的核心。     

FIDIC红皮书合同条款争端解决探讨

FIDIC红皮书合同争端解决可以通过其发展的三个阶段加以概括,即争端解决方法由争端解决的单一性向多样性转变;争端解决的主体由工程师-仲裁向工程师-DAB-仲裁方式的转变;工程师作用的加强与工程师行事的权利限制;DAB功能的完善与DAAB预防争端功能的建立。分析不同版本红皮书争端解决条款,认为工程师和DAB的功能设置、权利配置和权力制约是FIDIC红皮书争端解决机制安排的主要体现,也是其在争端解决方面的主要特点。     

A multi-attribute utility model for dispute resolution strategy selection

Disputes are inevitable in construction projects. Skills in dispute resolution should be part of the toolkit of any practitioner in a managerial position. Dispute resolution procedures such as litigation, arbitration, mediation, dispute adviser and negotiation are widely practised. However, frequently the question is how to systematically determine which dispute resolution strategy to adopt given the nature of disputes. Even though the topic of dispute resolution has been widely discussed and heavily researched, few studies have been conducted with respect to this question. A decision-making model has been developed using the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and multi-attribute utility technique (MAUT). The model comprises four parts: selection criteria, dispute resolution strategies, collection of utility factors and selection criteria weightings. These were developed from empirical data collected through an interview survey with selected experts in the field. The model is designed to identify in a systematic manner an appropriate dispute resolution strategy for a given dispute, rather than relying on subjective decisions. The model is tested using a hypothetical scenario in which three case studies are evaluated.     

浅谈如何合理调整工程施工合同价款

为了建设工程合同价款的合理性、合法性，减少履行合同甲乙双方的纠纷，维护合同双方利益，有效控制工程造价，作者就当前在调整施工合同价款过程中遇到主要问题谈谈处理对策。     

工程建设中的知识产权归属探析

工程建设中投资、设计、施工三方之间的知识产权归属问题,因建设工程的特殊性以及对建设工程合同的界定不清,导致建设工程的物权归属与工程建设中知识产权归属的混淆.建设工程合同可分为纯建设工程合同和复合建设工程合同两类.纯建设工程合同双方并未构成委托开发智力成果或者合作开发(创作)智力成果关系;其合同的标的并非智力成果,而是特定的建设工程;而且,建设单位并未付出取得相关知识产权的对价而只付出取得建设工程物权的对价.因此,对于纯建设工程合同履行过程中涉及的智力成果的知识产权应归属于该智力成果的完成单位,不适用"合同优先原则".     

构建争议评审制度相关问题探讨

良好的争议解决方法能够促进建设工程顺利平稳地进行、减少当事人双方所投入的成本并维持融洽的商业合作关系。文章通过实地调研和文献查阅,对争议评审制度及其在我国的发展进行了介绍,并就我国建设工程争议评审制度当前所存在的问题进行了三个方面的概括和总结——缺少法律支持、评审条款存在问题以及评审专家缺乏。结合国际惯例,文章对争议评审制度构建提出了改进意见:尽快对争议评审进行法律界定,制订与之呼应的示范文本,构建高素质的专家队伍。     

The impact of contract duration on the cost of cash retention

Cash retention is a common means of protecting an employer from a contractor's insolvency as well as ensuring that contractors finish the work that they start. Similarly, contractors withhold part of payments due to their sub-contractors. Larger contracts tend to be subjected to smaller rates of retention. By calculating the cost of retention as an amount per year of a contract, it is shown that retention is far more expensive for firms whose work consists of short contracts. The extra cost is multiplied when the final payment is delayed, as it often is for those whose work takes place at the beginning of a project. This may explain why it is that main contractors are a lot less interested than sub-contractors in alternatives to cash retention, such as retention bonds.     

工程合同对承包商索赔成功的影响研究

为检验工程中合同条款签订的完整性与承包商的合同管理水平对于承包商索赔成功的影响,通过研究北方某仲裁委员会10年间的106个以裁决作为解决方式的工程案例,结果显示合同条款签订的完整性与承包商的合同管理水平对于承包商获得的仲裁裁决支持比例均具有正向影响,同时二者呈现出干扰型交互作用。进一步得出合同条款的签订亟需得到业主和承包商的重视,同时,承包商也要提升在合同实施阶段的管理水平,从而可以通过索赔得到应得的权益。