Development of a New Construction Research Model for Saudi Arabia

The Saudi Arabian construction industry has had poor performance for the past thirty years. There have been many publications identifying the problem and potential causes. There have been no publications identifying what the source of the problem is, how to mitigate the problem, and actual testing to validate the proposed solution. This paper discusses why this problem exists, what is a potential solution, and an action plan that mirrors the most successful (construction management, risk management, project management and procurement delivery) research and development program in the world (22 years, $16M, +1750 tests, six different countries, 31 states in the U.S. and 98% customer satisfaction). The solution proposed in this paper is unique to the strengths and weaknesses of the research and development programs at universities in the Saudi Arabian kingdom.