Rethinking Construction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Rethinking Construction - Essay Example As a result of our research, the conclusion we have reached, with some notable exceptions, is that there was merit in John Regan's task force findings and that, in general, it has improved the performance of the construction industry. However, we have also concluded that in certain areas of the industry in general, and despite the incentives and organizations set up2, the implementation of the proposal is taking longer than had been envisaged. The main thrust of the "Rethinking Construction" report was for the partnering approach to form the central focus of construction projects. Such a system has been successfully implemented in many other industries as part of an integrated supply chain procedure. The report went on to suggest that if the construction industry executed the initiatives recommended, there could be anticipated significant annual improvements and savings in a number of key industry areas. These included: - The intention was to show the industry a way forward and help it to revitalize and refocus itself after a period of stagnation and poor productivity and profitability. It was also seen as a foundation stone in the rebuilding of the industry's less than perfect reputation, resulting from its propensity to deliver projects late, over-budget and not to the highest quality. In 1998 the report suggested to the industry guidelines in respect of the timescale for change, warning of the possible repercussions if the need for such change was not taken on board and treated seriously. In an effort to show the way and prove to the industry in general the value that the "Rethinking Construction", the task force called upon the government and construction industry leaders to put together a number of demonstration development projects, which would act as models for evaluation purposes. It asked for 500 millions worth of such projects. In the event, some 6 billion's worth were forthcoming. Positive Results There have been some notable successes where the task force recommendations have been fully implemented. The following, (figure 1) shows how the joint government / industry pilot schemes fared in the year 2001. It can be clearly seen from this table the results on a number of the KPI's3 set down by the task force have exceeded expectations. The most notable of these have been in safety, design time predictability and defects, which the original report had suggested should be targeted for 20% per annum improvement. There have also been some notable successes in partnering within the private sector. L.T. Deeprose Ltd, based in Guildford in Surrey, is a case in point. This company has embraced both the spirit and the physical aspect of "Rethinking Construction". The company concentrate on two aspects of the industry, development and contracting. On the development side they have built up working relationships with property advisor and estate agents, contracting Clients, specialized sub-contractors and consultants, including architects. By building a long term relationship with all of these organizations and involving them at all stages of a project, the company is able to meet, and continues to meet, the majority of the benefits that the report suggested would be