Relational Contracting For Construction Excellence

Improved efficiency and effectiveness in the construction industry provide huge potential savings. Various forms of relational contracting such as partnering, alliancing, public private partnership (PPP), and joint venture are good examples of this. Relational Contracting for Construction Excellence presents the principles of relational contracting, practicalities and a series of short case studies. Principles begins with the fundamentals then covers development in major countries, definitions of relational contracting, their benefits, difficulties, critical success factors and key performance indicators. Practice includes the relational contracting approach and process in general, and significant factors which make workshops successful, at whatever stage of the process. A number of real-life case studies from the UK, USA, Australia, and Hong Kong are provided. Since the book draws on a combination of practical consultancy works and university research, a wide range of readers will find it useful, i.e. from industrial practitioners to undergraduate students.

Improved efficiency and effectiveness in the construction industry provide huge potential savings. Various forms of relational contracting such as partnering, alliancing, public private partnership (PPP), and joint venture are good examples of this. Relational Contracting for Construction Excellence presents the principles of relational contracting, practicalities and a series of short case studies. Principles begins with the fundamentals then covers development in major countries, definitions of relational contracting, their benefits, difficulties, critical success factors and key performance indicators. Practice includes the relational contracting approach and process in general, and significant factors which make workshops successful, at whatever stage of the process. A number of real-life case studies from the UK, USA, Australia, and Hong Kong are provided. Since the book draws on a combination of practical consultancy works and university research, a wide range of readers will find it useful, i.e. from industrial practitioners to undergraduate students.

The book collects the latest research on both contractual andconceptual collaborative practices in construction. It identifiescommon problems faced by the industry and draws out practicalimplications. Construction projects are increasingly run in ways thatundermine the traditional boundary of the firm and sometimes alsothe definition of the project coalition. This poses challenges forconstruction firms whose clients demand ever increasing performanceimprovements as well as those firms who want to improve theirstrategies for greater collaboration to give themselves competitiveadvantage. The editors identify three main themes: collaborativerelationships, operating both in frameworks and within networks ofcontacts, e.g. relational contracting in partnering, supply chainmanagement and other procurement-driven initiatives. The second theme is frameworks, both contractual frameworksbinding parties together over a series of contracts, and conceptualframeworks used to develop future performance improvement arisingfrom the proactive strategies of firms. The third theme is the network of relationships that supportsindividuals and firms within the project coalition in deliveringservices and adding value to improve performance. These networksdefine the investment and incentives supporting the inter-firm andintra-firm relationships, as well as the formal contractualconditions through which such incentives flow. Networks ofinformation exchange define the structure of the activity and helppredict organisational configurations for successful projectoutcomes.

This book focuses on the development of communication skills in the context of non-traditional procurement and construction projects. It helps readers to understand the fundamentals of non-traditional procurement, and highlights the inherent communication challenges that arise, as well as how to solve them. The book is divided into four parts, the first of which provides an introduction to communication, discussing the theoretical concepts and contextual nature of communication as well as its benefits. The second part goes into more depth, discussing communication in the context of construction project delivery and non-traditional procurement systems, what these two terms actually mean, and what effective communication looks like in these contexts. Part III offers solutions to the inherent challenges of communication, including the use of information and communications technology, while the book’s fourth and final part explores the future of construction communication. Given the scope of its content, the book represents a valuable asset for researchers, professionals and students in the areas of procurement management and construction management.

The problems inherent in the traditional design-bid-build procurement method often lead to the adversarial working relationships within the construction industry. Target cost contracts, accompanied by a gain-share/pain-share arrangement serving as a cost incentive mechanism, have emerged in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Hong Kong with the aim of achieving better value for money and more satisfactory overall project performance under a collaborative working relationship. This book presents the underlying principles, practicalities and a series of short case studies of applying the target cost contracting strategy. Principles begin with the fundamentals then cover the development of target cost contracting in major countries/cities, definitions of target cost contracting, perceived benefits, potential difficulties and critical success factors for implementation. Practices include the target cost contracting approach and process in general, the key risk factors, risk assessment model, risk allocation and risk mitigation measures for target cost contracts in particular, together with a conceptual framework for the performance measurement of target cost contracts. Several short real-life case studies from the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand are provided for further illustration. The book will appeal to a wide spectrum of readers from industrial practitioners to undergraduate students, researchers and academics interested in construction contracts and procurement methods.

The last three decades have seen the evolution of Public–Private Partnerships (PPPs) and Relationship Contracting (RC) as alternative procurement approaches to traditional methods of delivering public infrastructure. The potential for growth in these new forms of procurement has led to an on-going debate on the nature of requirements, particularly in terms of policy development, encouraging private investment and value for money. A key argument for Governments to procure projects using PPPs and RC is that the process delivers better value for all the stakeholders, including the community and asset end-users. This wide-ranging study of such crucial procurement issues includes international historical context, collaboration and risk management, with a focus on sustainable procurement approaches. The international significance of PPPs and RC procurement is reinforced with case study examples from the UK, Europe, North America, South Africa and the Asia-Pacific. It features cutting-edge research from around the world on subjects such as: Reviews and reflection of the PPP approach Project Alliancing Implementation of RC in developing countries Changes in procurement policy Value for money, collaboration and stakeholder involvement Growth and emergence of PPPs in Asia Risk management Including contributions from some of the world's most prominent academics and practitioners in this field, it is a crucial guide to the strategic choices governments now face for the provision of infrastructure, between using ‘public’ or ‘private’ mechanisms, or a combination of the two.

Across the AEC industry, the non-technical skills possessed by organisations are key to their overall performance. In this study, the particular importance of optimising the so-called "soft power" of organisations, is addressed. Things like organisational culture, responsible corporate behaviour, and building trust-based relationships with other stake-holders are seen as facets of a broader organisational capability, and the advantages of this strength are also explored. The internationally conducted research behind this book will provide readers with new insights into effective management, from both inter and intra organisational perspectives. This unique and important book is essential reading for researchers and advanced students of construction management.

Written by experienced and innovative projects lawyer Arent van Wassenaer, this book explains what the critical success factors are for construction projects to be completed on time, within everyone’s budget, to the right quality, with all stakeholders satisfied and without disputes. In so doing, van Wassenaer discusses how such projects could be structured, tendered for, executed and completed, and what legal and non-legal mechanisms are available to achieve success in construction projects. Using examples of real projects, A Practical Guide to Successful Construction Projects provides tools for those in leading and managerial positions within the construction industry to change – where necessary – their usual operational methods into methods which are aimed at achieving project success.