World Class Contracting

Author : Mohammed Fadhil Dulaimi
Publisher : NUS Press
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 100 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (318 download)

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Download or read book Building a World Class Construction Industry written by Mohammed Fadhil Dulaimi and published by NUS Press. This book was released on 2001 with total page 100 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The construction industry has developed an image of being the least developed sector of the economy in most countries. The industry is consistently being accused of failing its customers and providing products and services that do not meet expectations. The C21 steering committee has led a national review of the state of the construction industry in Singapore, which was completed, with the publication of the C21 report in October 1999. The report provided an analysis of the state of the industry and a set of recommendations. The committee set a vision for the construction industry for the 21st century to be a world-class builder in the knowledge age. This study builds on the work of the C21 Steering Committee and working groups, and the conclusions of the C21 report. The eight-month study addresses the question of how Singapore's construction industry can change and improve itself. The study starts with a comparison of the C21 report with similar reviews in the UK and Australia. The main fundamental problems and challenges facing the construction industry are not unique but universal. The latest review in the UK, which was one of several in the last 50 years, was different as it was mainly client led. The Australian initiative was part of a national action agenda to improve the different sectors of the industry. This had an impact on the nature of the conclusions and recommendations. The study examined the impact of the C21 report on the construction industry. The study received and analysed survey responses from 200 companies involved in construction including clients, contractors, subcontractors, consultants, specialist contractors, suppliers and manufacturers. The study has established that the level of awareness of the C21 report is not high. Also the respondents provided only moderate support to the potential of the C21 to improve the state of the industry. Therefore, the study strongly recommends a more effective dissemination program to inform the industry of the rationale and philosophies of C21. This program should include discussion forums and feedback on the barriers and enablers for greater improvements. The study has identified 12 key factors that are seen to impede the attempts of the industry to improve its business activities. The industry has, collectively, also identified the main problems to be: client focus on the lowest price at the tendering stage; and the narrow profit margins in construction business activities. However, the different sectors in the industry expressed different views. The study then examined the C21 strategic thrusts and studied the possible enablers and motivators that would help the industry to achieve improvements under nine several categories. The study also explored the differing views in the different groupings. Upon closer examination of the results of the study, one theme that underpins many of the potential solutions is that sustained improvement in a market driven economy can only be recognized by creating the market forces that would demand these improvements. Therefore, the study recommends that an effective way to improve construction business is to adopt a market driven agenda for improvement aimed at delivering changes and improvements that are focused on providing better value products and services to the customer. A key to the achievement of this aim is for the clients of the construction industry led by the biggest among them, to adopt practices that would facilitate this change and empower the industry to realize its potential.