Exploring Construction Firms' Practices in China: Implications for Global Markets

This study explores the challenges faced by Chinese construction companies operating in international markets, focusing on three key areas: cross-cultural communication, business-to-business (B2B) relationship management, and project management practices. The research adopts a qualitative approach using interviews with twelve professionals from four multinational construction firms which headquartered in Australia, Korea, the United States, and China, and all operating in the Chinese market. Participants included project managers, site engineers, and finance officers with rich experience in the construction area. Thematic analysis identified key patterns across the interviews. The findings show that cultural differences strongly affect communication, decision-making, and teamwork in multinational projects. Trust and informal relationships play a vital role in B2B cooperation, especially in the Chinese context. The research also reveals the tension between standardized global procedures and the need for flexible, localized management. By examining these challenges, the study offers practical insights into how Chinese construction firms adapt their practices in international settings, providing useful references for improving collaboration in culturally diverse project teams.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Applied Management

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Grantor

Otago Polytechnic

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Ji, Min

• construction companies
• multinational projects
• Chinese construction firms
• cultural differences

Statement dc:rights

• CC BY-NC-ND Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10652/7069

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:null:10652/7069