The management of threats and opportunities plays a key-role in enhancing project performance. However, there is a gap in literature concerning how general contractors manage threats and opportunities in construction projects, in particular in the use of time and cost contingencies. This research partially addresses this gap through a case study of two large Spanish construction companies. The research presented two key factors determining how the contractors analyzed manage time and cost contingencies: project objectives and existing mistrust among the contractor’s team members. The research also found that managers use time and cost contingencies not only to manage threats, but also as tools for managing opportunities, thereby providing insight into a previously undescribed form of contingency: the negative contingency. The research results enable a better understanding of the actual behavior of general contractors, which contributes to paving the way for developing enhanced methods for contingencies management.

This research describes the managerial approaches that contractors follow to determine different types of contingencies in construction project management. Two large Spanish general contractors were selected for an in-depth analysis. Interviews and surveys were conducted with six additional companies to explore the external validity of the findings. Managers constrain time and cost buffers through project objectives, applying heuristics to determine inventory buffers. The management of capacity buffers is entrusted to subcontractors. The contractors take advantage of scope and quality buffers to meet project objectives but rarely share these buffers with the owner, unless the owner is an internal client.

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The integration between virtual and face-to-face (ftf) classroom learning is increasing. This is leading to an increase in mixed learning or blended-learning. Due to this growing trend there is a need to reuse course components between these strategies in the interest of efficiency. Additionally, the wide availability of open source software facilitates the construction of learning activities without incurring in licences expenses; activities which can then also be included in other courses. The reuse of these learning activities between virtual, ftf and mixed education may require significant efforts to adapt them if this possibility has not been considered in advance. Adoption of certain architectures and methodologies, that facilitate flexibility and reuse, can simplify this process, as proposed in this paper.  A case study is presented on reusing learning activities on Management Information Systems (MIS) developed for either ftf instruction or for an edX MOOC, that are reused in courses in various learning modes: online, blended learning and face-to-face.