Managing in Construction Supply Chains and Markets

The primary focus of this book is on how buyers and suppliers in construction relationships can optimize their performances.

It provides a detailed insight into the full range of relationship and performance management outcomes that are feasible in construction supply chains and markets, as well as a more detailed understanding of the appropriateness of different ways of working under specific supply chain and market conditions.

The book begins with an introduction to the performance and relationship optimization problem in construction supply chains and markets.

It goes on to outline the power and leverage perspective on relationship and performance management.

As chapter 3 shows, it is not always possible for both parties in an exchange to achieve their optimal commercial or operational goals when they adopt certain types of relationship management techniques.Sixteen empirical case studies provide an overview of the relationship management and performance optimization outcomes that can occur in construction supply chains and markets. The studies demonstrate that when it comes to optimizing individual performance some relationship management choices may be operationally and commercially superior to others for both buyers and suppliers.

It is clear from the analysis presented that buyers and suppliers can have reactive options that are superior to all of the proactive choices available to them and vice versa.

In the final chapter, the essentially contested nature of exchange in construction is explained and the book concludes with a look at how managers might address appropriateness and apply this approach to a more effective selection of sourcing and relationship management options in the future.