Causes of disputes in the turkish construction industry: Case of public sector projects

Disputes are inevitable in construction projects. They pose serious risks for the project participants and if not managed properly, disputes prevent the completion of construction projects within the desired cost, time and quality. Therefore, it is vital to determine the factors that contribute to construction disputes. The main purpose of this study is to identify the primary causes of disputes in the Turkish construction industry. In this context, the public construction disputes among the parties during the execution of the contract are examined. The findings show that the problem areas giving rise to disputes are mainly related to seven dispute categories as unit prices, delays and extension of time, contractual matters, variations, contract documents, payments, and other disputes. These dispute categories are analyzed comprehensively, and finally, main causes of disputes in each dispute category are identified and discussed in detail.