Contractual pathways to collaboration: A Swiss case study comparing transactional and relational models with implications for global IPD practice

Abstract

Integrated Project Delivery (IPD), also referred to as Project Alliancing, promotes collaboration through the integration of people, systems, and practices to optimize construction project outcomes. This study explores how IPD is implemented in the Swiss context by comparing traditional transactional contracts with relational contracts that align with IPD principles. Using qualitative content analysis in MAXQDA, twelve contracts - eight relational and four transactional - were systematically analyzed to identify 61 regulatory themes, which were assigned 2,490 times across 463 paragraphs. The findings show that relational contracts regulate nearly twice as many topics as transactional ones, particularly in areas such as joint decision-making, shared responsibilities, collaborative methods, incentive-based remuneration, and active client involvement. These relational features align with IPD’s emphasis on partnership, risk-sharing, and value creation, and suggest a reduced potential for conflict and smoother project execution. The study provides a comprehensive checklist of regulatory considerations, aiding the drafting of future IPD contracts. Although rooted in Swiss practice, the results offer transferable insights for international application, especially in regions adopting or refining collaborative construction models. This research contributes to both academic discourse and professional practice by highlighting the contractual mechanisms necessary to foster integrated, performance-oriented project environments.