A Fuzzy Fault Tree Framework of Construction Dispute Negotiation Failure

Reaching integrated agreement has been advocated to be the optimal outcome in dispute negotiation. When this is not achieved, the outcome is suboptimal and can be technically identified as a form of failure. This study introduces a fuzzy fault tree analysis (FFTA) approach to conceptualize the root causes of construction dispute negotiation failure. The FFTA framework also enables assessment of negotiation failure occurrence likelihood. Employing the proposed framework, an empirical study was conducted. The findings suggest that construction dispute negotiation failure is highly probable and the main causes are inadequate preparation, inappropriate behavior, and contract governance. These findings inform instigation of remedial and mitigation measures to address these root causes.