1st Edition

A Strategic Approach to the UK Construction Industry

By Stephen Gruneberg Copyright 2019
    92 Pages
    by Routledge

    92 Pages
    by Routledge

    The construction industry is a microcosm of the economy as a whole, and as such the economics of the sector contains many of the aspects of the economy in general, albeit with fascinating and unique features. What are the implications of economic theory for the future of UK construction? How does the industry ensure innovation, quality and efficiency? What priorities might best serve the construction industry, those working in it and their customers?





    In seeking answers to these and other questions, the UK government has commissioned a number of reports on the construction industry including the Latham and Egan reports and more recently Construction 2025. These have invariably proposed time and cost targets for the construction industry. In this new book, Stephen Gruneberg stands in stark contrast to those reports and presents the relevant theoretical aspects of construction economics to account for the behaviour of construction firms and suggest a strategy for future growth and sustainability. He discusses the theory and data relating to the output of firms in relation to the type of firm, the market and how these firms behave as a result. The purpose of this book is to advocate the measures needed to create the kind of industry that must be fostered to ensure the quality of its output, sustainability and the fair terms and conditions of employment for its workforce.





    Gruneberg’s new book is essential reading for anyone wishing to understand the economic forces that determine industry outcomes and who has a stake in the success of the UK construction sector.

    Chapter 1 Introduction: tracing the history of construction reports from Simon (1944) to the Construction Sector Deal (2018)



    Chapter 2 A critique of the modern construction industry



    Chapter 3 Replacing target setting



    Chapter 4 Setting out the priorities of the board objectives



    Chapter 5 The size and scope of the construction sector



    Chapter 6 Innovation in the modern construction industry



    Chapter 7 A quality built output by a competitive industry



    Chapter 8 Efficiency and professionalism



    Chapter 9 Construction industry strategies



    Chapter 10 The construction market



    Chapter 11 The way forward

    Biography

    Stephen Gruneberg is an Honorary Professor at the Bartlett School of Construction and Project Management, UCL.