The construction sector is one of the most important industries for the economy in Sweden. Between 2010 to November of 2020, there has been an increase in employment in the construction industry by 35.4 percent. In 2019 the Swedish construction sector was valued at EUR 53.3 billion, where the construction sub-sector makes up 47.6 percent (European Construction Sector Observatory - Country profile Sweden, 2020).  The construction industry is a fundamental part of society, whereas labor productivity, which represents the quantity of work performed per hour (Park 2006), is a vital element in the process of construction. Gunduz et al. (2020) state that labor consumes a significant amount of cost in construction projects, thus labor productivity is a determinator of cost optimization i.e., the process of making something as good or effective as possible (Cambridge Online Dictionary, n.d.). The benefit of productivity is seen as reduced construction time and cost (Fox, Marsh & Cockerham, 2010). Moreover, a lack of effective management activity towards construction resources can potentially decrease labor productivity. Thus, the familiarity of project managers with labor productivity factors is of major importance (Shehata & El-Gohary, 2011) and contributes to project success (Gunduz & Abu-Hijleh, 2020).

Projects within the construction sector is characterized as fragmented, temporary and complex which inherently brings upon risk exposure. Decision makers within the industry need reliant access to information and knowledge in order to manage risks in a sufficient and systematic way. Thus, the implementation of an effective risk management in relation to managing associated project risk knowledge may facilitate successful construction project endeavors.  The purpose of this master thesis is to explore and evaluate project risk management within the Swedish construction industry, with the emphasis on the perspective of Swedish contractors. The aim is to examine the recognition and practical adoption of risk management in order to investigate how project knowledge is utilized in the process. The methodology consists of a literature review on risk management fundamentals, the diverse risk attitudes and knowledge management in relation to risk. Data collection and analysis are based on a mixed method approach in which conclusions are made in relation to theoretical groundwork. The empirical data is collected through the usage of an online survey and in-depth semi structured interviews with key professionals within the Swedish construction industry. The results from this research indicate that theoretical models and processes for risk management is fairly unknown within the industry, analogous methods are used within respective organizations but the sharing of definitions and concepts within the industry are absent and the methods are not as structured as described in risk management theory. However, findings suggest that the perception of actors within the industry regarding risk and the risk management process is one of high importance for obtaining project objectives. Furthermore, findings indicate that the interplay between knowledge- and risk management and the incorporation of these processes is underutilized among the contractors and developers. / Projekt inom byggsektorn karakteriseras ofta som fragmenterade, tillfälliga samt komplexa vilket i sin tur medför riskexponering. Beslutsfattare inom byggbranschen behöver tillförlitlig tillgång till information och kunskap för att kunna hantera risker på ett effektivt och systematisk sätt. Implementering av en produktiv riskhantering i samband med hanteringen av associerad projektriskkännedom och kunskap kan således underlätta framgångsrika byggprojektinsatser. Syftet med denna masteruppsats är att utforska och utvärdera projektriskhantering inom den svenska byggbranschen, med tonvikt på svenska byggentreprenörers perspektiv. Syftemålet är att undersöka erkännandet och det praktiska utförandet av riskhantering och på så vis undersöka hur projektkunskap utnyttjas i processen.   Metoden består av en litteraturöversikt gällande riskhantering, diverse riskattityder och uppfattningar samt kunskapshantering i förhållande till risk. Datainsamling och analys baseras på en ”mixed-method research” där slutsatser görs i förhållande till teoretiskt grundarbete. Den empiriska insamlingen gjordes genom tillämpning av en online-undersökning samt djupgående semi-strukturerade intervjuer med professionella inom den svenska byggbranschen.  Resultaten från denna forskning visar på att teoretiska modeller samt processer inom riskhantering är relativt okända inom branschen. I praktiken används likartade metoder inom respektive organisation men definitioner och begrepp skiljer sig sinsemellan, metoderna är dessutom inte lika strukturerade i jämförelse med riskhanteringsteorier inom litteraturen. Fynden i denna studie tyder dock på att uppfattningen kring risk och riskhanteringsprocessen, bland aktörer inom branschen, är att den är av stor betydelse för att uppnå projektmål. Vidare tyder resultaten på att samspelet mellan kunskap- och riskhantering samt dess inkorporering är underutnyttjat bland byggentreprenörer och byggherrar.

Introduction: The study focuses on organizations that operate in the construction industry. The organizations studied are Skanska, Veidekke, and Serneke. The three organizations are established organizations in the Scandinavian construction industry. The study focuses on Skanska, Veidekke, and Serneke – three companies in the Scandinavian construction industry. Aim: The aim of this study is to develop an understanding regarding the impact of the company’s intrinsic competencies on the company’s internal development, which leads to sustainable organizational growth. This study identifies three intrinsic competencies: communication, organizational structure and behavior, and the organization’s motivation and cohesion. Methodology: The authors have interviewed the CEOs of each company and have further interviewed two managers at each company. The study followed a qualitative approach to tackle the concept of sustainable organizational growth. Findings & Conclusion: This study provides an insight regarding how companies view the importance of internal growth of the companies. All the companies analyzed in this study have put a high importance on the development of their intrinsic competencies to maintain internal organizational development. The companies have also identified that the internal organizational development is a vital criterion that leads to sustainable organizational growth. Theoretical Contributions: The theoretical framework developed for this study identifies the gap in the research and further enhances the understanding of sustainable organizational growth in the Swedish construction industry. Managerial Implications: The organizations studied have portrayed a focus on environmental sustainability as a key determinant for sustainable organizational growth. This study further highlights that without the development of the organization’s intrinsic competencies and internal organizational development, environmental sustainability is not feasible. The three organizations studied have exhibited a foundation that focuses on the development of their intrinsic competencies and internal organizational development. The foundation that the companies developed enables sustainable organizational growth, which encompasses environmental sustainability. Limitations: The study focuses on three companies in the Swedish construction industry and ascertains conclusions based on the findings of the three companies. The external validity of this study is a limitation as the findings can differ if the study is conducted on a different sample pool. Suggestions regarding future research: The framework provides a foundation for future research to be conducted on construction industries similar to the Swedish construction industry. The study uses Hill & Bowen’s (1997) framework to develop the foundations that enabled the development of this study’s theoretical framework. This study’s theoretical framework can be further examined and used to expand the findings of this study and future studies regarding the Swedish construction industry.

This study is to investigate how acquiring firms within the Swedish construction industry work towards successful post-acquisition integration during the early stages of post-acquisition and which factors they consider when doing so. When researching the five cases, the study adopted a qualitative approach, using semi-structured interviews with five managers from acquiring firms to gather in-depth, first-hand data for thematic analysis. The empirical findings highlight the significance of corporate culture, organizational structure, and leadership structure in the integration process. Acquiring firms prioritize cultural compatibility, recognizing that differences can hinder successful integration. They also emphasize the positive impact of similar business models and the creation of new leadership groups combining resources and capabilities. Supportive leadership plays a crucial role in smoothening the integration process. To achieve a successful post-acquisition integration, firms in the Swedish construction industry focus on assessing corporate culture compatibility, restructuring leadership, and effective integration planning. They aim to integrate cultures, develop thorough integration plans, and ensure employee satisfaction and financial success. The studied cases challenges theories that emphasize organizational structure as the main obstacle in acquisitions, suggesting that cultural factors are more critical. Similarly, it contradicts theories highlighting directive leadership, emphasizing the importance of supportive leadership instead. The study contributes to the understanding of integrating human resources, cultural factors, and clear integration plans as essential elements for acquisition success.