The risk of involving foreign contractors in the Norwegian infrastructure market

As a result of globalization, high investment volume in infrastructure projects, and more use of standardization, foreign construction companies are establishing in Norway. The purpose of this paper is to explore the risks of involving foreign contractors and developing suggestions for future projects. In addition to a literature review, two Norwegian bridge projects built by Chines International Contractors studied through a document study and semi-structured interviews with key personnel. The key personnel is from a public project owner, two Chinese construction companies, and subcontractors involved in the two case projects. Some of the risks identified are language barriers, weather conditions, difficulty in managing subcontractors, and different perceptions of safety levels. In the future, project owners should consider preparing the contract documents, handbooks, and standards in both Norwegian and English. If the language risk is managed properly, it influences the other risks as well. Cross projects experience sharing will also help in identifying risks early and taking mitigation measures. (C) 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B. V.