Strategic Management in Construction

by Langford, David; Male, Steven

• ISBN13: 9780632049998
• ISBN10: 0632049995
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-11-28
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Summary

This book reviews the general theory of strategy, relates it to the particular circumstances of the construction industry, and shows how it can be applied in practice. It brings together ideas from economics, marketing, management, business and politics to develop strategic management for both contractors' firms and the associated professions.Substantial changes have occurred in the industry since the book was first published in 1991. This Second Edition reflects the major developments that have followed the Latham and Egan reports, and includes new chapters on international strategy and marketing, showing how they can contribute to the strategic planning of construction organizations.The book will provide a valuable tool for the strategic development of construction firms. "Ten years separate the editions during which period a significant number of British, (and other), construction firms which had survived generations of proprietors merged, changed beyond recognition or ceased trading. One can not but wonder if publication of a work on strategic planning some twenty year earlier might have saved some of them." Construction Manager "The book presents the essential elements for managing at this higher level and should be a must for any construction professional who aspires to an executive position in industry as well as any student for construction management, project management and organizational management in construction. It comes highly recommended" Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management

Author Biography

Dave Langford is the Director of the Graduate School in the Department of Architecture & Building Science at Shrathclyde University in Glasgow. He has contributed to the field of construction management for over 25 years and has lectured and consulted throughout the world. He has written many academic papers and several books including two which he co-authored for Blackwell, Strategic Management in Construction and Construction Management in Practice.

Steven Male is Director of Steven Male Associates Limited, a specialist company dealing with consultancy assigments, research, and training in value-for-money in property and physical infrastruture asset management. He is currently working on a series of transport-related assignments for the World Bank. Prior to this Steven was Professor in Property & Infrastructure Asset Management at the University of Leeds.

Table of Contents

Preface	vi
Introduction	1	(10)
Part A - Construction and its business environment
Construction - an overview of the market	11	(17)
Industrial building	12	(1)
Commercial building	13	(1)
The housing market	14	(3)
Repairs and maintenance	17	(1)
Making sense of the trends	17	(11)
The strategic role of the actors in the construction process	28	(14)
The evolution of the construction industry in the post World War II era	28	(14)
Clients, constructors and competencies	42	(17)
Introduction	42	(1)
The concepts of product and project life cycles in construction	42	(1)
The strategic concepts of industry and market in construction	43	(2)
Market structure, price determination and competition in construction	45	(7)
Conclusion	52	(7)
Part B - Concepts of strategic management
The firm and the strategic management process	59	(33)
Introduction	59	(8)
The strategic management process	67	(13)
The strategic management process and organisational change	80	(2)
The management of change in construction	82	(1)
Strategic behaviour	83	(6)
Conclusion	89	(3)
Strategic behaviour of construction firms	92	(31)
Introduction	92	(2)
Core business and core competencies in construction	94	(5)
Levels of strategy	99	(1)
Managing the diversified construction firm	100	(11)
Strategies at the operating core in contracting firms	111	(1)
Project portfolios and potential capacity	112	(1)
Sub-contracting as a production strategy within project portfolios	113	(2)
The management resource in construction firms as a source of competitive advantage - resolving a strategic paradox	115	(4)
Conclusions	119	(4)
Strategies for international construction	123	(34)
Background	123	(1)
International business strategy	123	(2)
Size and structure	125	(4)
Reasons for internationalism	129	(3)
Characteristics and obstacles to internationalisation	132	(3)
Competitive advantage and strategy in international construction	135	(1)
Competitive advantage in international construction	136	(5)
Factor conditions	141	(1)
Domestic demand conditions	142	(1)
Related and supplier/sub-contractor industries	142	(1)
Firm strategy, structure and competitiveness	142	(2)
Country analysis	144	(2)
General overview	146	(4)
Strategic positioning competitive intelligence	150	(7)
Part C - Techniques for the strategic planner
Portfolio management, Delphi techniques and scenarios	157	(18)
Business portfolio management	157	(1)
The Boston Consulting Group growth-share matrix	157	(2)
Portfolio management and the construction industry	159	(3)
Delphi techniques	162	(4)
Scenarios	166	(5)
Cross impact analysis	171	(4)
Marketing and promotional strategies in construction	175	(20)
Introduction	175	(1)
The marketing concept	176	(1)
Marketing orientation and relationship marketing philosophy	176	(1)
Service quality and customer satisfaction	177	(1)
Internal marketing	178	(1)
Internal customer satisfaction	179	(1)
Customer care	179	(1)
Marketing strategies - market choice and segmentation	180	(3)
The marketing mix in service industries	183	(1)
Promotional strategies	183	(1)
Promotional media (personal/non personal)	184	(2)
Co-focusing on customer service - the problems to be overcome	186	(9)
Part D - Summary
A synthesis of strategic management in construction	195	(48)
Introduction	195	(1)
Strategic management in the construction industry	196	(1)
Industries and markets in construction	197	(1)
Entry and exit barriers exist in an industry	198	(2)
The nature of the firm	200	(1)
The firm's product in construction	201	(1)
Core business, core competencies and distinctive capabilities	201	(1)
Innovation in construction	202	(1)
Typologies of firms	203	(1)
Strategy	204	(2)
Structuring the strategic management process	206	(2)
The decision-making role of the strategist	208	(2)
The elements of competitive strategy	210	(1)
The marketing function and its contribution to competitive advantage	211	(3)
Tools, techniques and methodologies for competitive advantage	214	(2)
Construction corporations and contracting corporations	216	(3)
Structure, strategy and process - managing the diversified construction firm	219	(1)
Construction strategies	220	(3)
Project portfolios and potential capacity	223	(1)
Sub-contracting as a production strategy within project portfolios	224	(1)
Management as a source of competitive advantage	225	(1)
Supply chain management in construction	226	(3)
International construction	229	(1)
Conclusions on managing construction corporations	230	(1)
The consultants - the construction professions	231	(2)
Implications for professional practices and the building professions by size of firm	233	(2)
Conclusions on managing construction consultancies	235	(1)
Conclusions	236	(1)
A contingency model of strategic management for construction	237	(6)
Index	243