The Impact of Globalization on the Built Environment

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. 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. (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	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. 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. 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