Course syllabus
Course-PM
TEK141 Construction contract relationships lp2 HT25 (7.5 hp)
Course is offered by the department of Architecture and Civil Engineering
Welcome to TEK141!
Team
Examiner and teacher: Martine Buser associate professor, ACE, buser@chalmers.se
Teachers
Annakarin Skogsberg, lawyer, PEAB, annakarin.skogsberg@peab.se
Amar Taja, PhD student, ACE Chalmers, amar.taja@chalmers.se
Daniella Troje, PhD, Senior lecturer, ACE Chalmers, daniella.troje@chalmers.se
Dimosthenis Kifokeris, Associate professor, ACE, dimkif@chalmers.se
Mats Karlsson, Trafikverket, Professor of the practice at the division of structural engineering ACE, mats@infratech.nu
Sean Elliot Wisse, PhD student, ACE Chalmers, wisse@chalmers.se
Stefan Gottlieb, Associate professor, Dep. of technology and Innovation, University of Southern Denmark, sgot@iti.sdu.dk
Course purpose
Aim
The contract is probably the most fundamental institution of private law. A contract is a legally binding agreement between two or more parties that defines the conditions surrounding the exchange of goods and services. Construction projects are carried out in collaboration between several firms and other organizations. Because of interdependencies and needs for information exchange between the parties, managing the inter-organizational relationships requires attention to both risks and responsibilities as defined in the formal contract, and also to softer relational and ethical issues. This course aims to provide students with the knowledge to understand the role of contracts in project work in the construction industry. Moreover, The course will provide students with knowledge on formal and informal bases of social order in construction - whether contractually defined or not. Finally, the course will introduce the students to issues related to procurement and legislation as these interact with contracts and influence the successful management of contractual relationships in construction.
Content
- Organization of the construction industry: types of firms and roles.
- The nature of contracts.
- Principles of construction law, standard contracts and their roles.
- Formal and informal bases of social order.
- Regulation and quasi-regulation.
- Transactional and relational contracting.
- Transaction costs.
- Procurement principles, including award criteria, risk allocation in contracts, public procurement, EU directives, sustainability.
- Partnerships, partnering and collaboration: types, systems, second-order contracts, trust and communication.
Organisation
The course includes the following learning activities:
- lectures, including guest speakers from industry and academia
- literature seminars
- workshops
- group assignment
- individual assignment
- oral presentations
- supervisions
The primary purpose of the lectures is to provide an overview of the relevant theories, concepts, and practices within the topic in conjunction with the course literature. However, lectures themselves are not sufficient for acquiring theoretical knowledge, and students are expected to take significant responsibility for reading the literature.
Supervision is offered on two occasions and should be scheduled by groups with their respective supervisors. Guidance for the project is only provided during the sessions. It is advisable to come well-prepared for these sessions.
Schedule
TEK141 2027 preliminary schedule
Session Teachers
Formal aspects of contracts
- Tuesday 03/11 13.15-15.45 SB-H3
Lecture 1
- Introduction to the course Martine
- What is a contract
- Wednesday 04/11 09.00-11.45 SB-H4
Lecture 2 Mats
- Procurement routes/ strategies:
- Contract, payment principles and tendering
- Thursday 05/11 10.00-11.45 SB-H4
Workshop 1 Martine, Amar
- The contract content
- Thursday 5/11 13.15-17.00 SB-H3
Lecture 3 Annakarin
- Legal Framework
- Tuesday 10/11 09.00-11.45 SB-H3
Lecture 4 Annakarin
- Legal framework 2
- Tuesday 10/11 13.15-16.00 SB-H3 !! Mandatory
Literature seminar group1 Martine
- Presentation of the group assignment
- Wednesday 11/11 09.00-11.45 SB-H6 !! Mandatory
Literature seminar group2 Martine
- Presentation of the group assignment
- Friday 13/11 09.00-11.45 SB-H4
Lecture 5 Mats
- Public-private procurements
- Tuesday 17/11 09.00-11.45 SB-H3 !! Mandatory
Workshop 2 Martine Amar
- Thursday 19 13.15-16.00 SB- H6
Lecture 6 Stefan
- Contract economy transaction costs
- Friday 20/11. 09.00-11.45 TP-L10
Lecture 7
- Trust Stefan
- Wenesday 25/11 09.00-11.45 SB-H6
Lecture 8 Mats
- Closing the contract
- Handling of Change requests
- Handling of Non-conformances
Thursday 26-27/11 to be organized with your supervisor
Supervision 1 Daniella, Dimos, Sean, Stefan, Martine
13. Friday 27/11 09.00-11.45 SB-H4
Test on the vocabulary and principles, mandatory in class! Martine, Dimos
Lecture 9 Dimos
- Managing the construction and sub-contractors’ relationships
14. Wednesday 02/12 13.15-16.00 SB-H3
Lecture 10 Daniella
- Sustainable procurement
15. Friday 04/12 09.00-11.45 SB-H3 /TPl 10
- Workshop 3 Martine, Sean, Dimos
- Beyond the contract
16. Tuesday /Wednesday 08/09 organized with your supervisor
Supervision 2. Daniella, Dimos, Sean, Stefan, Martine
17. Tuesday 8/12 09.00-11.45 SB-H3
08.15-08.45 Test second chance
Lecture 11 Mats
- Claim and disputes
- QA, peer review Martine
18. Tuesday 15/12 13.00-17.00 in SB-L216 Mandatory
Class is divided in 3 groups
- Presentation group 1, session in the afternoon session in the morning Martine; Sean; Dimos
- 30 minutes per group
18. bis Wednesday 16/12 08.00-17.00 SB-L316
- Presentation group 2, session in the morning
- Presentation group 3, session in the afternoon
- 30 minutes per group
Final hand in for two assignments Friday January 15th 2027
Course literature
List all mandatory literature, including descriptions of how to access the texts (e.g. Cremona, Chalmers Library, links).
Also list reference literature, further reading, and other non-mandatory texts.
Course design
The course is composed of 19 sessions:
-
- 11 lectures
- 3 workshops
- 1 literature seminar
- 1 and half-day presentation
- 1 test
- and 2 supervision sessions
Canvas is the main platform for course-related communication and assignment submissions. For individual questions, specific concerns or matters that are not relevant to the whole class, teachers should be contacted directly by email.
Missed Mandatory Sessions
All mandatory sessions and assignments must be completed to pass the course. If you miss a mandatory session, you will be required to complete an alternative assignment.
The make-up tasks for each mandatory session will be announced on Canvas. It is your responsibility to check Canvas and submit the required assignment by the specified deadline.
Changes made since the last occasion
A summary of changes made since the last occasion.
Learning outcomes (after completion of the course, the student should be able to)
Knowledge
- Understand what a contract is in different theoretical perspectives
- Understand basic principles of general contract law
- Identify and describe aspects of public regulations, including principles for sustainable procurement
Skills
- Describe and analyze differences between legal systems, traditions and phases
- Apply knowledge of contract law in an analysis of cases
- Analyze and compare formal and informal basis of relationships in construction
- Analyze activities to support trust, cooperation and innovation in project relationships
Competences
- Evaluate contractual and procurement arrangements suitable for a specific project
- Define, formulate and solve contractual issues through process-based pedagogy
- Critically reflect on the role of contracts in construction (project) relationships
Link to the syllabus on Studieportalen.
https://www.chalmers.se/en/education/your-studies/find-course-and-programme-syllabi/course-syllabus/TEK141/?acYear=2026/2027
Assignments et examination for TEK 141 Construction contract relationship
The grading of TEK 141 is composed of three elements
- In class exams on vocabulary and concepts, 30 % of the total grade
- Individual assignment: a reflection on 4 of the 12 lectures, 20% of the total grade
- Written assignment and presentation in group 50% of the total grade (report 30%, presentation 20%)
Active participation in seminars and workshops can affect the final grading.
Vocabulary test mandatory event Tuesday 27/11
A multiple-choice questionnaire with a few open questions. The test is taken in class and the time is limited! The purpose of the test is to ensure that students have learned the vocabulary and main concepts related to contracts.
Students who are unable to attend the test will have a second opportunity on 8 December.
Individual assignment
The individual assignment consists of reflection of 4 out of the 12 lectures of the course.
- Reflection of around 800-1000 words per lecture.
- 3 parts, (2 shorts, the last longer ).
- The big ideas: What was the lecture really about ?
- The spark: what made you react during the class?
- The take away : what will stay with you and why ?
All 4 reflections should be compiled into one document
This assignment is graded 5, 4, 3 or fail and constitutes 20 % of the final grade
Hand-in: 15 January 2027. Word file. Each summary starts on a new page, and the title and date of lecture are clearly stated.
Call the file TEK140+lectures+your name, remember your name on the document and upload on Canvas
Project assignment
Project assignment process
The project assignment builds on a literature study and an interview study. The assignment is carried out in groups of 3-4 students. The group will be formed by the teachers and announced at the project assignment introduction on November 10 and 11. A list of topics for the project assignment will be presented during the session. The topic selection must be done no later than 15.00 on November 13. The literature study aims to provide a deeper theoretical understanding of a topic related to the course. You will search for literature sources on a specific topic in this assignment. These can be books, articles, and web pages. Thus, you will train skills in searching for information and writing academic texts with formally correct references.
A minimum of 10 different academic references should be used.
Use the ATA or Harvard model for references (see ACE120).
The purpose of the interview study is that students should develop a deeper understanding of practitioners’ perspectives on contracts and relationships in construction projects. The group is responsible for finding 2-3 interviewees and organizing the interviews. The interviews will have two parts. One with general interview questions that concern the interviewees’ perceptions, preferences and experiences of various procurement routes and contracts (traditional, design-build, partnering, management, etc.), and one part that focuses on the topic chosen for the project assignment.
For the first part a general guideline will be provided on Canvas and adapted by each group to fit the interviewees’ organizational belonging. The second part of the interviews each group will develop depending on chosen topic.
Supervision
The group will be assigned a supervisor after the selection of a topic. Each supervisor will make separate arrangements for her/his groups. Two supervision sessions are organised. Dates for each session are recommended in the schedule above. Still, arrangements are made with each supervisor and can be held outside of these dates if better suited for the groups and supervisor. General questions and advice, for example, concerning topic choice, will be handled in connection with lectures and/or by email.
Compulsory presentation and opposition
The oral presentations (compulsory) will take place on Tuesday 16 and Wednesday 17 December. The class will be divided into three presentation sessions: one on Tuesday and two on Wednesday.
Attendance is mandatory for the entire session in which each group is scheduled to present, not just for its own presentation.
Please be on time for the presentation since the schedule is tight.
Opposition (compulsory): Each group must submit a draft of its assignment on Canvas by 17.00 on 11 December.
Each group will act as an opponent for one other group, providing oral feedback during the presentation and written comments (approximately one page). The teacher will assign the opposition groups.
Paper: Groups should upload their finished assignment paper on Canvas not later than 17 January 2027. The paper is checked for plagiarism. The file should be named Group_X project_assignment.
The paper must follow the Paper Template TEK141 provided on Canvas.
The text should be within the range of 3000-4000 words excl. reference list.
The assignment is graded 5, 4, 3 or fail and constitutes 50 % of the final grade
Requirements and grading
Examination requirements are:
- A test for 30%
- The individual reflection on the course lectures for 20%
- The completed project assignment, including paper and oral presentation for 50%
- Attendance to the mandatory seminars and 80% of the sessions
To successfully complete the course, you are required to pass the online test, participate in the mandatory sessions, and have an attendance rate of at least 80% of the sessions.
Grades Individual grades will be used according to the scale; U (Fail), 3 (Pass), 4, and 5.
The following grade criteria are used to determine how well the student demonstrates these abilities and meets the course learning objectives. A higher grade level assumes abilities at lower levels.
5 (Excellent) The student demonstrates the ability to critically reflect from a holistic perspective on the various theoretical perspectives included in the course, as well as transfer and apply insights in new meaningful contexts.
4 (Very Good) The student demonstrates the ability to understand and use concepts to explain how the various dimensions of the course relate to each other, are interconnected, and become meaningful from a higher and coherent subject perspective.
3 (Pass) The student demonstrates the ability to address the content, tasks, and problem complexes of the course from several different, well-developed but mainly independent perspectives.
U (Fail) The student's knowledge, abilities, and skills in the course area show deficiencies in whole or in substantial part.
Instructions for Using Generative AI Tools (such as ChatGPT)
TEK141 follows the general stance of Chalmers’ Education Committee, which is that bachelor's and master's programs should, as much as possible, reflect a real work environment within the professional field, including access to AI tools. However, it is not always appropriate to use them, and when they are used, it is a requirement that AI tools are used in a responsible and transparent manner. On this page, you can find instructions and guidelines for using AI in your coursework:
The page refers to work on thesis projects, but the same principles apply to your regular coursework and assignments.
Special Needs
Information on studying with functional variation/disability:
https://www.chalmers.se/en/education/student-support/disability-study-support/
Course summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|