Strategies for the effective engagement of multi-national construction enterprises in post-disaster building and infrastructure projects

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify what strategies and mechanisms might be utilised to achieve an effective level of participation by multi-national construction enterprises in post-disaster recovery efforts. Design/methodology/approach: An exploratory qualitative research methodology has been utilised. A total of 28 interviews were conducted. The respondents were from multi-national construction enterprises, international and national humanitarian agencies, construction industry professional organisations, and national government agencies related to disaster management. Findings: The findings suggest that there is great potential for using the resources of multi-national construction enterprise resources to fill the professional resource gap in post-disaster recovery. The best method for achieving this engagement is less clear. Although there are concerns about construction enterprises engaging with a more strategic outlook, there is also recognition that explicit and transparent arrangements would alleviate many of these concerns. Originality/value: The value of building partnerships with the private sector is slowly being realised, but it remains a niche phenomenon and more research is required. This study provides a better understanding of the nature and extent of the relationship between multi-national construction enterprises and efforts to reconstruct buildings and infrastructure following a disaster.