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This study contributes to the understanding of the health effects of pesticides exposure and of how pesticides have been and should be regulated.

This study presents literature reviews for the period 2000–2013 on (i) the health effects of pesticides and on (ii) preference valuation of health risks related to pesticides, as well as a discussion of the role of benefit-cost analysis applied to pesticide regulatory measures.

This study indicates that the health literature has focused on individuals with direct exposure to pesticides, i.e. farmers, while the literature on preference valuation has focused on those with indirect exposure, i.e. consumers. The discussion highlights the need to clarify the rationale for regulating pesticides, the role of risk perceptions in benefit-cost analysis, and the importance of inter-disciplinary research in this area.

This study relates findings of different disciplines (health, economics, public policy) regarding pesticides, and identifies gaps for future research.

The complexities in strait-crossing cable-stayed bridge project are increasing the risks. This study aims to identify and analyze the significant and worth-considered construction risks of the first, biggest and longest spanned strait-crossing bridge project in Indonesia.

As many as 32 risk events were identified and determined as the risks that exist and can be represented in the Suramadu bridge project context. Data was collected through a design-based questionnaire disseminated to experts involved in the project as well as semi-formal interviews. Several quantitative methods were applied to analyze the significant risks, such as relative importance index, Spearman’s rank correlation test and Mann–Whitney U test.

The analyses reveal that “unexpected natural behavior” confirmed by both contractor and consultant parties is the most significant and crucial risk event. Another risk event found to be significant is the “delayed payment.” On the other hand, it is also found that several risks within the legal category are found to be less significant compared to other major risk events.

The results of the present research should be interpreted in the context of several limitations. Given these possible concerns regarding the generalizability of the findings, along with the relatively low rate of participants in the current research, additional studies are needed to provide a more complete picture of stakeholder perceptions who are involved directly in the construction environment as well as to identify more construction risks specifically in the large-scale bridge project.

This study has provided fundamental contributions to the body of knowledge and practical implication to promote and assist decision-makers toward developing a comprehensive risk assessment of a large-scale bridge project.

The analyses of outcomes and discussion, as well as the findings of this research, have shed light on the construction risks understanding, which contributes to delivering a theoretical framework for achieving large-scale bridge project success.

Environmental risks (ERs) are critical to any highway construction project (HCP). One of the main contracting parties responsible for ERs is the contractor. Hence, it has been crucial to look into ways to control ERs in HCPs from the contractor’s perspective. This study aims to investigate how ERs can be managed in HCP in Sri Lanka.

A quantitative research approach with three rounds of Delphi was used. Statistical techniques were used to analyse and validate the ERs, the parties to whom the risks were to be allocated, and risk management measures identified from the empirical data collection.

The study reveals the 11 most significant ERs for HCP. Further, the most significant ERs in HCP were mainly found to be the responsibility of contractors in Sri Lanka. Twenty-four most appropriate risk response measures were determined; 13 were found to be common measures that could be used to manage two or more risks, while the remaining 11 were unique to specific risks.

Overall, this research determines the most significant ERs in HCP, the best risk allocation among the parties and appropriate risk-handling strategies and measures for each significant ERs. Additionally, the study addresses the demand for ERs management in HCP.

Guaranteed maximum price (GMP) contracts are becoming an increasingly popular contract solution; however, many projects experience higher levels of risk and exceed predetermined GMPs, failing to accomplish the main motive behind the concept. Thus, the study identified a risk management process for GMP projects.

The study adopted a quantitative approach consisting of three Delphi rounds. The collected data were analysed using statistical data analysis tools.

The study identified 17 highly significant risk factors in GMP projects and determined their levels of severity. Subsequently, risk allocation amongst the client, contractor and consultant and strategies to handle the most significant risk factors were determined. The study identified poorly defined scope and design changes as the most critical risks in GMP projects. Moreover, strategies such as clearly defining the project scope, preparing precise documentation, early involvement of the contractor and using a partnering approach can be deployed to reduce the risk in GMP projects. Each risk has to be assigned to the party who can best manage it, depending on its nature.

The study addresses the literature gap pertaining to risk management of GMP contracts by identifying its overall process, including the identification of significant risks based on the severity levels; risk allocation amongst the client, contractor and consultant; and identification of risk handling techniques suitable for each significant risk factor. The study contributes to the industry by identifying a systematic risk management process to implement GMP projects successfully within the stipulated time, cost and quality.

The financial and economic risks associated with high-rise building projects are many. They make project stakeholders to undergo financial difficulties. However, very few past studies have discussed the management of these risks. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to provide a guideline for the effective management of these financial and economic risks associated with high-rise apartment building projects in Sri Lanka.

The study adopted the mixed research approach. A literature review and semi-structured interviews were used to identify the financial/economic risk factors of high-rise apartment building projects and their risk response measures. The data obtained were used for a questionnaire survey, and the findings were analysed using the mean score method. They were validated using pattern matching. The risk response measures that were identified were ranked according to their effectiveness.

The findings revealed that “financial problems arising from errors in estimating” is the most significant financial and economic risk factor faced by the property developers involved in high-rise apartment building projects, while “poor contract management” is the most significant financial and economic risk factor faced by the contractors of these projects.

The study recommends a guideline to manage, using effective risk response measures, the financial and economic risk factors that are significant in high-rise apartment building projects.

Most organisations do not have established guidelines for the estimation and management of contingency funds. The purpose of this paper is to identify the risk factors at the construction phase causing project cost overruns, and a reliable method for the estimation of contingency sum is established.

Combined qualitative–quantitative exploratory methods were used. Qualitative interviews were conducted with five expert practitioners working in a Public Works Department in Zambia to determine how contingency sum is estimated and to explore what risk factors should be considered. Quantitative regression used cost and risk data collected from 30 recently completed building and refurbishment projects.

The qualitative study indicated that the project budget overruns constitute a major issue. This finding is in line with the paired-samples t-test results which show that the difference between the total variations and the initial contingency sum tends to be significant. The regression analysis proved that the contingency sum was positively correlated to the estimated contract sum. The qualitative interview results and Pearson correlation analysis also showed that contingency sum and project complexity tend to have a significant correlation. The research also demonstrates that the type of works is not a direct significant factor.

Because the projects used for the study were relatively short, duration of the project and economic factor of tax rate, exchange rate and inflation rate were not examined in the multiple regression analysis. Further studies should be conducted on longer projects to test out whether these risk factors are significant in influencing the project contingency.

The results demonstrate that the multiple regression method can be applied as a reliable tool to predict contingency sums. Accurate contingency sums and project budget estimates benefit construction clients and their project managers. Individual project conditions should be carefully examined when assessing the contingency.

This research establishes a reliable regression method for the assessment of the contingency for the pre-tender estimate which has significant impact on the project feasibility and cost control, using related risk factors involved in construction contingency and client’s contingency.

Strong versions of the Precautionary Principle (PP) require regulators to prohibit or impose technology controls on activities that pose uncertain risks of possibly significant environmental harm. This decision rule is conceptually unsound and would diminish social welfare. Uncertainty as such does not justify regulatory precaution. While they should reject PP, regulators should take appropriate account of societal aversion to risks of large harm and the value of obtaining additional information before allowing environmentally risky activities to proceed.

This study seeks to investigate the sensitivity of stock returns at the industry level to market, exchange rate and interest rate shocks in the four major European economies: France, Germany, Italy, and the UK.

The paper utilises the methodology of Campbell and Mei (1993) to decompose systematic risks into components attributable to news about future dividends (cash flows), real interest rates and excess returns.

In addition to significant market risk, the paper finds significant levels of exposure to exchange rate risk in industries in all four markets. Significant levels of interest rate risk are only identified in Germany and France. All three sources of risk contain significant information about future cash flows and excess returns.

Future research could investigate the extent of exposure in other markets, or investigate whether the findings change at the firm level. Additionally it could be investigated whether recent asset pricing work such as Campbell and Vuolteenaho (2004) can be utilised to investigate this research problem.

The paper identifies which industry portfolios have significant exposures and decomposes these risks. This information is relevant for investors and portfolio managers, as well as financial management within the firm.

The paper utilises an alternative econometric methodology to investigate the extent of exposure to exchange rate and interest risks in industrial portfolios in four European markets.

This study aims to investigate the influence of perceived risk, including financial, functional, aesthetic, sanitary, psychological and social risks, on the intention to purchase second-hand clothing (SHC) between SHC consumers and non-SHC consumers based on perceived risk theory.

A total of 290 responses were collected, with 110 from SHC consumers and 180 from non-SHC consumers. Partial least squares structural equation modelling was used to validate the hypotheses. Additionally, a permutation test and multigroup analysis (MGA) were performed.

The findings indicate that different types of risk have varying effects on both SHC and non-SHC consumers’ intention to purchase SHC. In particular, financial, aesthetic and social risks are found to be significant predictors of purchase intention for SHC consumers. By contrast, sanitary and psychological risks are significant predictors of purchase intention for non-SHC consumers. Furthermore, the MGA results indicate a significant difference between SHC consumers and non-SHC consumers in the relationship between financial risk, social risk and purchase intention.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to examine the effects of different types of risk on the intention to purchase SHC in both SHC and non-SHC consumers. The findings will provide practitioners with practical insights for developing more effective strategies to target these two distinct consumer groups.