Course syllabus

ACE585 Strategic management and decision making in construction LP2 HT24 (7.5 hp)

The course is offered by the Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering (ACE).

Examiner

Dilek Ulutas Duman, DUD, senior lecturer, Construction Management ACE, dileku@chalmers.se

Lecturer

Mathias Gustafsson, MG, associate professor, Construction Management ACE, mathias.gustafsson@chalmers.se 

Guest lecturers

Linda Näsholm, Chef strategi, NCC Building Sweden

Mats Karlsson, MK, InfraTech AB

Per Höglin, PH, and Johannes Ris, JR, Projektledare, Byggstyrning

Christine Räisänen, CR, Profesor, Chalmers

Course purpose

The construction sector today faces a range of complex challenges. In addition to cost, quality, and time-related problems, companies must now address issues like climate change, sustainability, circularity, and digitalization. Hence, AEC firms need to continuously update their knowledge, adapt practices, and develop their organizations to stay competitive. Strong strategic management and decision-making skills are now critical for addressing these evolving challenges and ensuring long-term success in the construction sector.

The aim of this course is to enable students to develop their skills and knowledge of decision-making and strategic management in the construction sector, with a particular focus on its project-based nature. Students will learn key strategy and decision-making concepts and apply relevant methods to analyze complex situations and propose appropriate solutions.

Schedule

Week	Day	Date	Time	Location	Teaching form	Topic	Lecturer
45	Tuesday	04/11/2025	09:00-11:45	SB-L408	Lecture	Course introduction and overview Introduction to the assignment Levels – Sector/Organization/Project	DUD, MG
	Thursday	06/11/2025	13:15-16:00	SB-L408	Lecture	Risk and Uncertainty	MG
	Friday	07/11/2025	09:00-11:45	SB-L285	Lecture	Macro environment analysis	DUD
46	Tuesday	11/11/2025	09:00-11:45	SB-L408	Lecture	Competitive advantage and positioning	DUD
	Thursday	13/11/2025	13:15-16:00	SB-L408	Lecture	Resources, Competences and Capabilities – Inside the organization	DUD
	Friday	14/11/2025	09:00-11:45	SB-L285	Lecture	Perspectives on decision making	MG
47	Tuesday	18/11/2025	09:00-11:45	SB-L408	Lecture	Processes approach to strategy	DUD
	Tuesday	18/11/2025	13:15-16:00	SB-H6	Seminar	Case study	DUD, MG
	Thursday	20/11/2025	13:15-16:00	SB-L408	Lecture	Guest lecture - Strategy and decision making in a client organization	MK, DUD, MG
	Friday	21/11/2025	09:00-11:45	SB-L516	Seminar	Mid-Course Assessment (Group presentations) & Supervision	DUD, MG
48	Tuesday	25/11/2025	09:00-11:45	SB-L408	Lecture	Strategy as practice	CR, DUD
	Thursday	27/11/2025	13:15-16:00	SB-L408	Lecture	Heuristics and Biases	MG
	Friday	28/11/2025	09:00-11:45	SB-L516	Seminar	Literature seminar	DUD, MG
49	Tuesday	02/12/2025	09:00-11:45	SB-L408	Lecture	Strategy as discourse	DUD
	Thursday	04/12/2025	13:15-16:00	SB-L408	Lecture	Strategy making in a contracting firm	LN, DUD, MG
	Friday	05/12/2025	09:00-11:45	SB-L285	Lecture	Strategic misinterpretation, planning fallacy, and sunk cost	MG
50	Tuesday	09/12/2025	09:00-11:45	SB-L208	Lecture	Strategy development processes	DUD
	Thursday	11/12/2025	13:15-16:00	SB-L208	Lecture	Three domains of project organizing and group decision making	DUD, MG
	Friday	12/10/2025	09:00-11:45	SB-L285	Seminar	In-class supervision (Individual and Group assignments)	DUD, MG
	Friday	12/10/2025	13:15-16:00	SB-L408	Lecture	Strategy making in a construction management company - Positioning with digitalisation	JR, PH, DUD, MG
51	Tuesday	16/12/2025	09:00-11:45	SB-L408	Presentations	Presentations	DUD, MG
	Tuesday	16/12/2025	13:15-16:00	SB-L285	Presentations	Presentations	DUD, MG
	Friday	19/12/2025	09:00-11:45	SB-L516	Lecture	Course review & Christmas party	DUD, MG

 

*The course schedule outlined in this table may be adjusted. Any changes will be promptly communicated through announcements and updated on the Canvas page.

Course literature

The primary course materials will include scientific papers and selected excerpts from the books listed below, all of which are available through the Chalmers Library. The course books listed below are the main reference literature. 

Whittington, R., Regnér, P., Angwin, D., Johnson, G., & Scholes, K. (2023). Exploring strategy (13th ed.). Pearson. 

https://research.ebsco.com/c/lu54te/search/details/jpqvuc75tf?q=exploring+strategy&isEbscoSignIn=false

Winch, G., Maytorena-Sanchez, E., and Sergeeva, N. (2022) Strategic project organizing, Oxford University Press. 

https://research.ebsco.com/c/lu54te/search/details/dleny5zyzflimiters=FT1%3AY&q=Strategic%20project%20organizing

A complete list of reference articles, organized by session, will be uploaded to Canvas before the course begins.

Course design

In this course, we will explore two critical and closely linked areas within the construction sector: decision-making and strategy-making (strategizing). Rather than addressing these topics in isolation, we will shift between them, examining how decisions inform strategic direction and, in turn, how strategy shapes key decisions, particularly under conditions of constant change and uncertainty. We’ll explore both normative and descriptive models of decision-making, and consider how these theories play out in real-world construction environments.

We will explore strategy-making through different lenses in strategic management research, starting with macro-level analysis and moving toward the micro-level practices of strategizing. A central theme will be how strategy is formed and implemented in project-based organizations, while at the same time focusing on how strategic thinking is applied in real construction projects and firms.

Throughout the course, the goal is to sharpen your critical thinking in the areas of judgment, decision-making, and strategic management, providing you with the tools to address complex challenges in construction projects. 

Course content

• Introduction to strategy and decision making - Looking at different levels (Sector/Organization/Project)
• Classical approach to strategic management – Macro environment analysis
• Resources, Competences, and Capabilities – Inside the organization
• Risk and Uncertainty
• Perspectives on decision-making 
• Process approach to strategy
• The practice of strategy
• Heuristics and Biases
• Strategy as discourse 
• Strategic misinterpretation
• Planning fallacy and sunk cost
• Three domains of strategic project organizing
• Group decision making 

Teaching methods 

• lectures
• seminars
• in-class reflection exercises
• project work
• supervision and feedback

The ACE585 Canvas page will serve as our main communication channel throughout the course. You will find all essential course information and materials organized within the Modules section, including sections for Information, Lectures, and Assignments. Please check the course page and announcements regularly for updates and important information.

Attendance 

Participation in mandatory course activities* (or a relevant compensation assignment in agreement with the examiner) is a prerequisite for passing the course.

Students must participate in at least 80% of the course sessions; attendance will be controlled during the class.

Learning objectives

After completion of the course, the student should be able to:

• account for and explain different decision-making strategies and their usefulness in project organizing.
• critically evaluate common biases that affect the decision-making process and exhibit knowledge on how to mitigate the effects of these biases
• consider how risk and uncertainty affect decisions and how to assess risks in an unbiased fashion.
• describe the concept of strategy and discuss the significance of strategic management in the construction management practice.
• explain and compare different approaches to strategic management and discuss how they can benefit from different perspectives in their managerial practice.
• apply the concepts within different strategic management approaches to the construction sector-specific cases.
• critically evaluate the key domains and interfaces of strategic project organizing.

Examination form

The course includes several examination components: written lecture reflections, a mid-course assessment, an individual final report, and a group project.

Written Lecture Reflections (1.5 hp)

Students will submit written reflections on selected lectures throughout the course. Each reflection should summarize key points from the chosen topic, offer personal insights, and critically engage with the relevant course material. The aim is to deepen understanding and link lecture content to broader course themes.

Grading scale: U/G

Detailed guidelines will be provided in Week 45.

Mid-Course Assessment (10% of the final group project)

At the midpoint of the course, we will have an assessment to review your plans and progress for both the individual and group assignments. This assessment will account for 10% of the final grade for each assignment.

Grading scale: TH

Format and expectations will be explained in Week 45.

Individual Written Final Report (2.5 hp)

At the end of the course, you will submit an individual written report focused on decision-making literature and concepts. This is your opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of the course material by applying key theories to a real issue or case in the construction sector.

Grading scale: TH

Format and expectations will be explained in Week 45.

Final assignment as a group project work (3.5 hp)

The group assignment focuses on strategy-making in real construction contexts. Each group will choose (or be assigned) a case to analyze, with guidance from the teaching team. You will work collaboratively to apply course theories and concepts to examine strategic challenges.

• Oral Presentation: On the final presentation day, each group will deliver an oral presentation of their project. This assessment will account for 10% of the final grade for the group assignment.
• Written Group Report: Each group will submit a written report that incorporates the feedback received during the presentation day. This assessment will account for 80% of the final grade for the group assignment.

Grading scale: TH

Format and expectations will be explained in Week 45.

Grade limits

Grade	Point range
5	85-100
4	70-84
3	55-69
Fail	< 55

 

Instructions on using generative AI tools (like ChatGPT)

ACE585 follows the general stance of Chalmers’ Executive committee for education, which is that bachelor's and master's education should reflect a real working situation within the professional field as much as possible, including access to AI tools. However, it is not always appropriate to use them, and when they are used, it is a prerequisite that AI tools are employed in a responsible and transparent manner. In this page, you can find instructions and implications on using AI for your course work: https://www.chalmers.se/en/education/your-studies/masters-and-bachelors-thesis/regulations-for-the-use-of-ai-tools/Links to an external site. The page refers to working on theses, but the same principles apply to your regular coursework and assignments.

Communication

Feel free to contact the examiner (dileku@chalmers.se) anytime you need assistance. However, please avoid asking questions that are already covered in the course documents on Canvas.