Problems associated with the process of claim management in Palestine: Contractors' perspective

Purpose - During the past few years, only a limited number of construction projects in Palestine were completed on time; indeed many of these projects had been delayed for reasons believed to be outside the control of both the contractors and owners. Such delays have given rise to many claims and conflicts. The aim of this paper is to investigate this widespread phenomenon, and its associated problems, from the perspective of the local contractors. Design/methodology/approach - The paper reports on a questionnaire-based research investigation targeting local contractors with a focus on critical problems associated with the process of claim management, starting with claim identification, through to claim notification, examination, documentation, presentation, and negotiation. Findings - The paper presents the survey results and main findings which indicate that: lack of site staff awareness to proactively detect claims, inaccessibility or unavailability of relevant documents, and conflicts arising during owner/contractor negotiation are all critical problems associated with the process of claim management. Originality/value - The outcome of this research will assist local contractors in understanding the critical problems associated with the process of claim management; thus minimizing the number of, and cost associated with, claims and conflicts.