Sottostima dei costi dei progetti di opere pubbliche: errore casuale o intenzionale? (Underestimating Costs in Public Works Projects: Error or Lie?)

Archivio di studi urbani e regionali, no. 82, Milano: Franco Angeli, pp. 1-28.

28 Pages Posted: 20 Jun 2013

See all articles by Bent Flyvbjerg

Bent Flyvbjerg

University of Oxford - Said Business School; IT University of Copenhagen; St Anne's College, University of Oxford

Mette Holm

Aalborg Municipality

Søren Buhl

Aalborg University

Date Written: 2005

Abstract

This article presents results from the first statistically significant study of cost escalation in transportation infrastructure projects. Based on a sample of 258 transportation infrastructure projects worth US$90 billion and representing different project types, geographical regions, and historical periods, it is found with overwhelming statistical significance that the cost estimates used to decide whether such projects should be built are highly and systematically misleading. Underestimation cannot be explained by error and is best explained by strategic misrepresentation, that is, lying. The policy implications are clear: legislators, administrators, investors, media representatives, and members of the public who value honest numbers should not trust cost estimates and cost-benefit analyses produced by project promoters and their analysts.

The English version of this article can be found at: http://www.ssrn.com/abstract=2278415

Die deutsche Version dieses Artikels finden Sie unter: http://www.ssrn.com/abstract=2278383

Den Svenska versionen av denna artikel finns på: http://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=2278382

Note: Downloadable document is in Italian.

Suggested Citation

Flyvbjerg, Bent and Holm, Mette and Buhl, Søren, Sottostima dei costi dei progetti di opere pubbliche: errore casuale o intenzionale? (Underestimating Costs in Public Works Projects: Error or Lie?) (2005). Archivio di studi urbani e regionali, no. 82, Milano: Franco Angeli, pp. 1-28., Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2278294

Bent Flyvbjerg (Contact Author)

University of Oxford - Said Business School ( email )

Oxford
Great Britain

IT University of Copenhagen ( email )

Copenhagen
Denmark

St Anne's College, University of Oxford ( email )

Oxford
United Kingdom

Mette Holm

Aalborg Municipality

Aalborg
Denmark

Søren Buhl

Aalborg University ( email )

Fredrik Bajers Vej 7E
Aalborg, DK-9220
Denmark

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