Investigating the "hard" and "soft" issues of problem resolution in partnering: Defining the research boundaries

Partnering is an innovative procurement method that includes a problem resolution mechanism to resolve disputes as amicably as possible. This ongoing postgraduate research study proposes to build conceptual model(s) of problem resolution mechanism based on selected partnering project characteristics. A review of the debate surrounding different paradigms in built environment research highlights pertinent research issues relating to 'soft' and 'hard' aspects of partnering problem resolution. In so doing, it leads to a discussion on the combination of research strategies adopted to gather information for the research. Reports on interim findings of a questionnaire survey conducted to determine the extent to which problem resolution mechanisms are being applied are also incorporated. Follow up in-depth interviews are underway to gather information that cannot be elicited by questionnaire. It is suggested that the two different hard and soft issues should each be dealt with by a separate paradigm, and the boundaries in which the current research lies in terms of its paradigms are highlighted.