The general contractor-subcontractor relationship has been a focus of interest in the literature and yet its impact on a general contractor's economic performance remains a virtually unexplored area in the construction management literature. This research presents the findings of a questionnaire...

Construction site layout decisions affect the effort involved in materials handling, an activity which occupies a substantial portion of working time. Much computer software has been developed enabling construction managers to plan and visualize the layout of a construction site, but at present...

In statistical analysis of intertemporal movements in time-cost relationships via the Bromilow model it is shown that for Ng et al.'s (2001) Australian data, the K value is not significantly different from unity. This is utilized to develop a new and simpler ratio measure of the time-cost...

A method for analysing the competitiveness of a consultant's two-envelope fee tendering history is proposed and illustrated in an application to one of Hong Kong's larger quantity surveying practices. Separate measures for determining consultants' fee, quality score and overall competitiveness...

A linear programming model has been developed for optimal cash flow management addressing specific cash flow issues related to the construction industry. These include typical financial transactions, possible delays on payments, use of available credit lines, effect of changing interest rates,...

Process mapping and benchmarking are becoming widely recognized as important management tools for understanding how value is delivered for customers, and their use in the construction industry is growing rapidly. Influenced by research on design project management, and the requirements of...

A competency-based review of professional quantity surveying is important for service excellence and has continuing relevance in the built environment of the 21st century. A survey of quantity surveyors in professional practice in South Africa has provided a new perspective on the relative...

Building designers' counterparts in the manufacturing industry use proprietary methodologies described by the term 'design for manufacture' (DFM). Their use has resulted in radical improvements to productivity and quality. The potential benefits of applying DFM to buildings are widely...

Lack of access to bank finance is one of the major constraints on the development of small contractors in developing countries. Efforts by governments and interested donor agencies to mitigate the problem have achieved little. Banks perceive that the risk and transaction costs involved in...