Identifying Causal Relationships and Response Strategies for Stakeholder Risks in Construction Projects
Owners, contractors, and consultants are among the stakeholders most vulnerable to high risk due to their intricate interactions over project phases. This study aims to identify and categorize the primary and secondary risk factors associated with these three parties and to examine the causal relationships among them to inform risk mitigation. A hybrid approach combining fuzzy theory and the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method was adopted to analyze 32 secondary risk factors grouped under 3 primary risk factors. Nine experts, each with at least fifteen-year experience in risk management in engineering organizations, were consulted to identify and examine the risk factors. Based on the fuzzy DEMATEL (FD) model, risks were analyzed through a weighted impact matrix, and all risks were prioritized by identifying the causes leading to their effects. Owner risk (Degree of Dispatching (D) − Degree of Receiving (R) = +0.739) and contractor risk (D − R = +0.108) were classified as causes, whereas consultant risk (D −R =-0.84) was classified as an effect. The risk factors were coded RC1–RC32. From the consultant side, the second most prominent sub-factor (D + R = 2.635) was regulatory non compliance (RC15), which affected approval timelines and coordination with the consultant. As regards the owner, poor communication (RC5, D +R = 5.756) was a causal sub-factor. For the contractor, regulatory non-compliance (RC26, D +R=2.690) was the most prominent causal sub-factor. The analysis revealed divergent risk perceptions among stakeholders, thus highlighting the importance of a collaborative risk management framework.