Challenges and opportunities in international joint ventures between architecture/engineering consultants: the case study of Kuwait

Purpose As globalization accelerates, Kuwaiti public clients increasingly mandate local-international Architecture/Engineering (AE) collaborations for complex projects. However, these partnerships face high failure rates and complexities traditional models overlook, resulting in a scarcity of local research. This study aims to examine motivations, risks and success factors for AE consultancy international joint ventures (IJVs) in Kuwait. It resolves the “performance paradox” by identifying why regional findings are untransferable to Kuwait's landscape, instructing the operation of future practices. Design/methodology/approach The research was initiated with a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats study, followed by the triangulation of 49 questionnaires, 27 in-depth interviews and insights from the first author's 8-year tenure as design director for a mega-scale campus project, providing a practitioner-based “ground truth” assessment. Findings IJVs motives include a “trust-specialization divide” and technology transfer. The challenges include the “80/20 Power Paradox,” statutory friction and “synchronization gaps” (mismatched work weeks). Success depends on robust management, equity in participation and firm-size alignment. Research limitations/implications Limitations include a shortage of local consultants in IJV practices and the evaluation of partnerships at a specific point in time. Future research could explore how these findings evolve throughout the project's lifecycle. Originality/value This research paper fills a significant knowledge gap by establishing an evidentiary framework identifying “statutory friction” and “synchronization gaps” unique to the Middle East. It creates a template for the reconciliation of global innovations and local mandates in emerging markets.