Construction logistics planning in Sweden: The role of public and private sectors in logistics management

Abstract

The construction industry has an ample contribution to Sweden’s economy. The industry has been expanding with an increase in urbanization. Resultantly, there is a rising demand for efficient management of construction logistics which has several impacts on the construction projects and population. However, efficiency in logistics operations calls for proper rules and regulations under which they are carried out to complete construction projects. Because construction logistics is a complex phenomenon, therefore it has multifaceted challenges, especially in large-scale projects. In Sweden, there exists a written constitution which governs all aspects of building construction, and it is mandatory for all stakeholders to follow it. But there is currently a lack of proper regulatory structure in written form which clearly defines the way construction logistics is to be carried out in urban areas. This thesis explores the existence of rules and regulations governing construction logistics in the city of Gothenburg and the role of public-private sectors in logistics management. To fulfill the purpose of the thesis, a case study of a large-scale project, Karlatornet, was selected. Qualitative methods were applied, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with people from Gothenburg city and Serneke. The results revealed that the city of Gothenburg lacks a formal regulatory structure for construction logistics and their role is limited to transportation and land-use. The results also revealed that private companies are responsible for self-regulating their logistics activities in construction projects.