The views and experiences of specialist contractors on partnering in the UK

The views and experiences of specialist contractors on partnering have to date received insufficient attention in the UK where the focus has been centred on the client-main contractor relationship. An investigation into the position of specialists brings a new perspective on the national and international debate about how further steps towards partnering the supply chain can be achieved and whether they are desirable. Some of the findings are positive such as the high level of understanding of partnering concepts among specialists. There are examples of successful collaborations and evidence of informal partnering being continued downstream of the specialist contractors, often irrespective of whether upstream partnering is occurring or not. Practical issues about involvement and some cynicism about the aims of partnering are also detectable. The discussion recommends that greater emphasis should be placed on the role of the client and the competitive advantage available to all through the proper use of partnering. Despite positive developments little has changed in the 10 years since partnering was introduced to improve the lot of the specialist contractor in terms of the levels of disputes and the incidence of long-term collaboration.