Better information management approach for construction joint ventures in China

International joint ventures, both as a management strategy and as a project system, have been actively used as vehicle for foreign construction firms to enter China's huge and lucrative market. It is also a major means by which China can achieve its modernisation aims. However, many joint venture projects in China have experienced some failure in terms of their intended outcomes despite the increasing importance of international construction joint ventures in China. One of the causes of these failures has been identified as inadequate management of information. Due to the unique, dynamic and often complex nature of international construction joint ventures in China, effective and efficient management of information is essential to their success. This paper demonstrates how information can be better managed on international construction joint ventures in China by employing a simulation model as a decision-making management tool. It also shows that the model may be easily adapted to construction joint ventures in other countries.