Identification of critical risks in international engineering procurement construction projects of Chinese contractors from the network perspective

International engineering procurement construction (IEPC) is a complex subject interconnected with risk transfer. In-depth understanding of risks in IEPC projects is essential for effective risk management and managerial strategies. Most related studies focus on the critical risks based on the perceptions of stakeholders or their direct “contribution” to the project loss. This study aims to investigate risk interconnection in IEPC projects through social network analysis, with a focus on the critical risks, risk interactions, and risk mitigation strategies. Three approaches were employed. First, the risk register and interconnection between IEPC projects were identified through a literature review. Second, the risk register and interrelationships were investigated using a questionnaire to formulate theoretical risk-interdependent networks. Third, practical IEPC projects were analyzed using network metrics to identify mitigation strategies for the associated critical risks. From the obtained results, we concluded that controlling security and contract risks in project management can reduce the occurrence or impact of other risks. Moreover, environmental issues related to contractors are also critical in international construction projects. Investigating relationships between risks has uncovered different risk-propagation mechanics within IEPC projects, thus extending the theoretical knowledge for international construction and risk management.