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.