Benchmarking is a proven technique for improving project performance and, as such, is a critical component of any mature project delivery system. Competitive benchmarking requires industry-specific metrics in absolute terms since processes vary by industry, and any metrics used within a single...

Innovation continues to be high on the agenda in construction. It is widely considered to be an essential prerequisite of improved performance both for the sector at large and for individual firms. Success stories dominate the parts of the academic literature that rely heavily on the...

The major message that I will be trying to convey is that we often misinterpret the available data because of inadequate attention to how they are produced … (Griliches, 1994, p. 2) The importance of accurate measurement and pertinent modelling of the general level of construction prices...

Three input-output (IO) tables compiled between 1995 and 2000 were used to examine the significance of the construction sector and its relationships with other sectors of the Thai economy. The pull and push effect of the Thai construction sector to the national economy indicated that the former...

The mild recession experienced in the early part of this decade forced many US electrical contractors to reduce their profit margins as a way to win jobs and survive economically. However, to make up for lower profit margins, contractors turned to 'better planning' as a method for improving...

Many construction clients are not satisfied with the quality performance achieved on their projects though many contractors are ISO9000:1994 certified. Total quality management (TQM) has been a widely applied quality management system for obtaining the benefits of better quality and higher...

The construction industry in general has a poor ethical reputation, being widely regarded by the public as a sector with corrupt practices, health and safety failures, and causing damage to the environment. A modern 21st century industry needs to consider how it orientates itself to the dilemma...

A method is presented for unbalancing bids and optimizing the allocation of overall project profits to individual activities by considering the financial parameters of a project (bid mark-up and projected cash flow), in conjunction with lowering the exposure to possible financial disorder in the...

Southern Cross Station is one of the largest public-private partnership (PPP) projects undertaken in Australia. In this project the architects played a significant role in developing an iconic design which has received international professional design awards and much media attention. In the...

An industry report in Hong Kong calls for an agreed framework for appraising subcontractor performance. A set of performance appraisal criteria is developed that is agreeable to all key stakeholders in subcontracting. By examining the criteria being applied around the world and reviewing the...