Construction business competitiveness and global benchmarking

The focus of this paper is on developing "quality" and sustainable construction businesses capable of riding market shifts and growing both nationally and internationally. Knowledge of current management tools and techniques will no doubt prove useful in the quest for transforming a nonperforming business. However, no long lasting effect can be expected unless attention is paid to the fundamental principles and practices that govern organizational behavior, including the views an organization has of its customers, competitors, and itself. Commercial performance of organizations has increasingly become not only dependent on resource efficiency, but also on retooling and aggressive new business development initiatives as well as reduction in base production and operational costs. The human factors and mental models that people have within any given organization profoundly affect the success or failure of that organization. In this paper a critical review of the current concepts and techniques influencing construction organizations is offered with a focus on people and organizational improvements. A set of critical success factors is then distilled, followed by a systematic process of applying the same to achieve success.