Readings

SES # TOPICS READINGS
1 Course introduction  
2 The growing globalization of the architecture, engineering, and construction (A/E/C) fields  
3 Impact of globalization and the current financial crisis on construction industry

Moavenzadeh, Fred. "Globalization Strategies of Selected E&C Firms." Working paper. Cambridge, MA: MIT Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, 2009.

Buy at Amazon Jacque, Laurent L., and Paul M. Vaaler, eds. Financial Innovations and the Welfare of Nations. Norwell, MA: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2001. ISBN: 9780792373285. (Peruse introductory material as general background for class discussion.)
4 20/20: vision for the future of the A/E/C field

Measuring Productivity and Evaluating Innovation in the U.S. Construction Industry. Building Futures Council whitepaper. Alexandria, VA: Building Futures Council, 2006. (This resource may not render correctly in a screen reader.PDF)

Greatest Construction Projects: a Look Back at 125 Years of Construction Milestones. Engineering News-Record (1999): 2-33.
5 Marketing Moavenzadeh, Fred. "Marketing in the Construction Industry." Working paper. Cambridge, MA: MIT Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, 2009.
6 International markets, networking/marketing and selecting the appropriate project delivery system Flyvbjerg, Bent, Mette Skamris Holm, and Soren Buhl. "Underestimating Costs in Public Works Projects." Journal of the American Planning Association 68, no. 3 (2002): 279-295.
7 Infrastructure markets  
8 Navigating the increasingly treacherous global markets

Allison, Tony. "Enron's Eight-Year Power Struggle in India." AsiaTimes Online, January 18, 2001.

Emmons, Willis, and Monica Brand. "Empresas ICA and the Mexican Road Privatization Program." Harvard Business School Case. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Publishing. Case: 793-028, March 24, 1993.
9 Risk management opportunities and parochialism and other barriers to overseas involvement

Ybarra, Shirley J. "VMS Asset Management Contract for Virginia's Interstate Highways." Public Works Financing (1998): 26-30.

"2008 Corruption Perceptions Index." Transparency International, 2008. (Review the rankings table.)

"Global Competitiveness Report 2009-2010." World Economic Forum, 2009.

Buy at Amazon Friedman, Thomas L. The Lexus and the Olive Tree. New York, NY: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2000. ISBN: 9780374185527. (Read chapters 17 and 18.)
10 Productivity, competitiveness, and innovation  
11 Project delivery systems

King, Ralph, and Charlie McCoy. "Bechtel's Power Outage." Business 2.0, March 1, 2004, pp. 80-90.

Wolff, Derish. "Is Your Firm the Next Enron?" Cambridge, MA: The Louis Berger Group, 2009.

Buy at Amazon Friedman, Thomas L. The Lexus and the Olive Tree. New York, NY: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2000. ISBN: 9780374185527. (Read chapters 19 and 20.)
12 Megacities and the environment  
13 Report to board of directors