Andrew R.J. Dainty

New perspectives on construction supply chain integration

In 1998, a government‐sponsored review of the UK construction sector called for the adoption of initiatives from manufacturing industry in order to increase productivity and reduce costs. Subsequent research has focused on how supply chain management practices could be implemented effectively by clients, consultants and large contracting organisations. However, little attention has been paid to the integration of small and medium‐size enterprises (SMEs) in the subcontractor and material supply sectors. This paper presents the findings of research that focused on the role of these SMEs in re‐engineered construction supply chains. It was found that significant barriers exist to supplier integration within the construction sector, which stem from SME scepticism over the motives behind supply chain management practices. It is suggested that the industry must make greater efforts to extol the mutual benefits of supplier integration to SMEs if significant performance improvement is to be achieved.

Subcontractor perspectives on supply chain alliances

Since the publication of the Egan report in 1998, there has been a strong and consistent emphasis on the need to integrate the project delivery process via partnering and strategic alliancing agreements throughout the UK construction industry. However, given the continued reliance on subcontracting within the sector, future performance improvement also requires an acceptance of the benefits of supply chain partnering and integration from the small-to-medium size businesses who carry out the majority of construction work. This paper presents the findings of a research project that examined subcontractor perspectives on supply chain alliances. The study has uncovered serious concerns among subcontractors that point towards a fundamental mistrust and scepticism within existing supply chain relationships. These have the potential to inhibit further improvements in the efficacy of the project delivery process. A range of attitudinal change requirements for integrating smaller companies into the drive for continuous improvement are identified. It is suggested that leading clients should take responsibility for engendering the necessary attitudinal change throughout their supplier networks if further performance improvement is to be realized within the sector.

Construction supply chain integration: an elusive goal?

Purpose – To empirically investigate the problems encountered in trying to integrate supply chains in the UK construction industry and to set these problems in the context of the extensive literature on supply chain management and partnering.Design/methodology/approach – A brief review of current supply chain issues in the construction industry is provided. Three case studies of leading construction clients were carried out and these included public and private organisations from different sectors of the economy, public transport, information and communications technology and vehicle manufacturing. A large number of interviews were conducted with the various clients, their main contractors and key subcontractors and suppliers.Findings – The findings reveal that the large number of supply chain partners and the significant level of fragmentation limit the levels of integration that are achievable. The interplay of environmental and procurement related factors renders the realisation of truly integrated sup...

A grounded theory of women's career under-achievement in large UK construction companies

In response to impending skills shortages and changing employment patterns, the UK construction industry recently has made considerable efforts to attract more women to its professions. However, despite their increasing representation, there are indications that women experience difficulties in developing their careers within the industry. This research investigated the careers of men and women working for large construction companies, in order to establish the gender determined influences on womens career progression. A primarily qualitative methodology was employed for the research, in which career profiles were developed through ethnographic interviews with 41 matched pairs of male and female employees. This allowed the gender specific determinants of careers to be established across a range of different organizations, and from informants at different vocational and life-cycle stages. The analysis resulted in the formulation of a set of eight interrelated theoretical models, from which a theory of womens career development was constructed. The theory reflects the belief that the construction workplace is a competitive and conflictual environment, where women are overtly and covertly discriminated against by men, who use structural systems to undermine their participation. The women interviewed were found to have dealt with these barriers in a way which perpetuated existing work cultures. If reflected throughout the industry, this would suggest the existence of a self-fulfilling cycle of womens continued under-achievement. The paper puts forward the radical proposition that women should not be attracted to the industry unless steps are taken to moderate its exclusionary and discriminatory culture.

Integrating products and services through life: an aerospace experience

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the evolution of “product‐service” (P‐S) strategies in the aerospace sector. Despite the widespread perception that aerospace organisations are advanced in terms of P‐S integration, little is known about the realities of P‐S provision in the sector. Much of the existing literature is normative and prescriptive, focusing upon what organisations aspire to do, but offers little insights into how attempts to integrate products and services occur or the challenges organisations encounter.Design/methodology/approach – This paper presents an in‐depth case study of an international aerospace original equipment manufacturer, referred to as “JetCo”. A total of 18 interviews were conducted with key actors involved in the operationalisation of P‐S strategy within defence aerospace and civil aerospace divisions. In addition, analysis of internal company documentation was also undertaken.Findings – This paper reveals that current P‐S strategy, which builds upon a long h...

Client-led strategies for construction supply chain improvement

Recent research into the UK construction industry has identified various drivers for change and prominent among these is the need for better client leadership. The aim of this research was to examine the role of the client in securing a greater degree of supply chain integration. It used three diverse case studies to examine the association between clients, the environmental factors that affect their businesses, the procurement decisions made and the level of supply chain integration that can be achieved. The results of this research provide independent empirical support for some of the recommendations of the recently released Accelerating Change report and some practical amplification. Clients are shown to be key drivers of performance improvement and innovation and are the most significant factor in achieving integration in the supply chain.

Employee perceptions of empowerment

Purpose – This study aims to examine how empowerment is perceived by individuals employed on construction projects. In contrast with previous research which has predominantly been conducted from a management perspective, this paper deals with employee perceptions of empowerment.Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative approach was adopted for this study employing in‐depth interviews on four major construction projects.Findings – The findings from the study indicate that there can be a gap between the employee experience and the management rhetoric. Health and Safety issues were often cited by the employees as a major barrier to empowerment. The strict Health and Safety regulations under which construction employees operate limit their freedom to influence the work that they undertake. A further factor that was found to have a strong influence on the diffusion of empowerment was the role of the employees’ immediate supervisor.Research limitations/implications – The data are based on case studies that il...

Construction supply chain partnerships: skills, knowledge and attitudinal requirements

Abstract This paper examines the skills requirements necessary for effective supply chain partnerships in the UK construction industry. Current SME skills are explored in terms of their relevance to developing more efficient supply networks. A range of SME companies are interviewed in order to determine if their current knowledge, skills and attitudes are appropriate for achieving better supply chain integration. The implications of current skills and attitudinal deficiencies are assessed in terms of whether they act as barriers to effective supply chain partnering in the future.

A competency‐based performance model for construction project managers

The role of competency‐based performance management is growing in significance in many industries and sectors. Unlike functional competences, which measure performance against predetermined minimum occupational standards, competency‐based systems are founded on the key behavioural competencies that underlie superior levels of performance. In order to identify the key behaviours leading to performance excellence amongst construction project managers, in‐depth behavioural event interviews were used in which managers were asked to recount critical management incidents, decisions and actions from which their behavioural competencies could be identified. By delineating the sample according to their performance against a range of role‐based criteria, the competencies defining superior management performance were determined. Statistical techniques were then used to develop a model that can be used to predict likely employee performance, which was subsequently validated on a second criterion sample. The research identifies 12 core behavioural competencies that underpin effective project management performance, of which two – ‘composure’ and ‘team leadership’ – were the most predictive. The paper explores the potential role and application of the framework in the drive for performance excellence within the industry, such as in selection, management development, succession planning, performance management and team deployment. It is argued that it offers an innovative alternative to normative micro‐competence‐based approaches that do little to engender performance excellence amongst the industrys key managers and professionals.

Empowerment within the UK construction sector

The feasibility and success of empowerment are to some extent determined by factors relating to the culture and structure of the industries within which organizations are embedded. The UK construction industry is an example that has a unique socio‐technical context, some aspects of which seem well‐suited to empowerment strategies. However, despite support for empowerment, it has not yet been universally embraced by construction organizations. Outlines the aspects of the industry that provide a suitable context for implementation of empowerment strategies. Suggests that, used selectively, it could play an important part in helping construction organizations to address increasing performance demands whilst mitigating the negative effects of the fragmented project delivery process. However, there remain many barriers to individual and team‐based empowerment strategies that require empirical investigation before the industry can benefit from their implementation.