Steven Mccabe

Corporate Strategy in Construction (eBook, PDF)

Understanding Today's Theory and Practice

• Format: PDF

Produktbeschreibung

This book draws together the main elements of strategic management theory and considers their relevance to contemporary practice in construction. It helps students understand what corporate strategy involves and how it is possible to develop a proactive approach to the management of key organisational resources that are essential to attain objectives. Understanding of the importance of strategic management has developed rapidly in the past decade. Recent economic events have shown that all organisations must continually reassess their approach to achieving intended objectives, especially improvement in customer focus. The construction industry is no different. Construction employers require graduates who are competent in understanding the basis of strategic management, the range of techniques that will enable the organisation to identify opportunities and threats and respond to rapid change. This book provides an overview of the context in which construction projects are carried out, and the potential methods that exist to conduct strategic analysis and decision-making. By analysing case studies, Corporate Strategy in Construction: Understanding today's theory & practice demonstrates how vital lessons can be learnt from other industries by benchmarking practices and developing alternative ways of delivering value to clients. A key message of the book is that construction organisations can, with a better appreciation of strategic management, increase their potential to innovate and create sustainable competitive advantage.

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Produktdetails

• Verlag: John Wiley & Sons
• Seitenzahl: 336
• Erscheinungstermin: 4. Januar 2010
• Englisch
• ISBN-13: 9781444318760
• Artikelnr.: 37344535

Autorenporträt

Steven McCabe, Senior Lecturer in construction management, University of Central England

Inhaltsangabe

Foreword Preface About the Author Acknowledgements Dedication Chapter 1
Introduction 1.1 Trying to predict the future - a task fraught with risk
1.2 A journey towards strategy: art or science? 1.3 Strategy, a problem of
expectation? 1.4 The dilemmas of a formal definition of strategy 1.5 The
context of construction - a truly unique industry? 1.6 Developing an
understanding of who 'consumes' construction 1.7 The structure of this book
Chapter 2 Strategic management theory: its origins, development and
relevance to contemporary organisations 2.1 Objectives of this chapter 2.2
Early origins 2.3 The rise and rise of strategy as a corporate tool 2.4 So
what are the main concepts of strategy - back to the problems of
definition? 2.5 Mintzberg's 'Five Ps' conceptualisation of strategy 2.6 The
hierarchy of strategy 2.7 Terms associated with strategy 2.8 Attaining
success: the importance of analysis, development and implementation 2.9 The
three essentials of strategic decision-making 2.10 Lynch's text of 'good'
strategy 2.11 What will really work? An exploration of major theoretical
perspectives 2.12 The relevance of strategic theory and some considerations
of Whittington's generic perspective 2.13 Conclusion Chapter 3 A short
socio-historical analysis of the development of the British construction
industry 3.1 Objectives of this chapter 3.2 Early origins - the beginnings
of civilisation 3.3 The Roman influence 3.4 Medieval organisation - the
emergence of the guild system 3.5 The malign influence of merchants 3.6 The
end of artisans and the emergence of alternative arrangements 3.7
Contracting and its long-term effects on people, processes and production
3.8 The rise and fall of trade unionism in construction 3.9 The National
Building Strike and its long-term consequences 3.10 Time for change? 3.11
Government intervention - the impact of the 'Latham' and Rethinking
Construction reports 3.12 So where is construction currently and what is
next? 3.13 Conclusion Chapter 4 Understanding the environment - markets and
competition 4.1 Objectives of this chapter 4.2 Appreciating the context of
construction 4.3 How are markets considered? 4.4 Appreciating the dynamics
of markets and competition 4.5 Overall analysis of the environment 4.6 What
are the dynamics of competition? 71 4.7 Analysing competitive behaviour - a
consideration of adaptive strategy 4.8 How do markets grow? 4.9 Competitive
advantage 4.10 Conclusion Chapter 5 Strategy and its connection with
consumers and customers - the keys to success 5.1 Objectives of this
chapter 5.2 Defining consumers and customers 5.3 Customers - who are they
and what do they want? 5.4 The use of 'customer-profiling' 5.5
Customer-competitor matrix 5.6 Importance-performance analysis 5.7 Market
segmentation 5.8 Revisiting Miles and Snow's analytical model of
competitive behaviour 5.9 Using the BCG matrix to analyse customers 5.10
The McKinsey Directional Policy Matrix 5.11 Considering the value of these
matrices 5.12 Making connections with consumers - the importance of
communication and feedback 5.13 The emergence of the concept of customer as
'king' - what the Japanese taught the west and how it has been developed
5.14 Conclusion Chapter 6 Developing and maintaining organisational
resources - the basis for delivering strategy 6.1 Objectives of this
chapter 6.2 Resource usage - an overview 6.3 A contemporary consideration
of how organisations use resources 6.4 The objective of adding value to
resources 6.5 How resources are valued - applying 'economic rent' 6.6 How
organisations develop capability based on their resources -an appreciation
of the importance of the resource-based perspective (RBV) 6.7 Resources and
their place in the structure 6.8 Using VRIO framework to decide on resource
application 6.9 The importance of resources, distinctive capability and
core competences 6.10 Developing an understanding of people, productive
capability and finance 6.11 Using integration as a tactic to obtain
resources 6.12 Conclusion Chapter 7 'Organisation[al] matters' - a
strategic perspective of the importance of how to manage people 7.1
Objectives of this chapter - what is organisation? 7.2 Organisation and
structure - a consideration of contemporary changes in perception 7.3
Structure, processes and relationships - virtuous combinations? 7.4 Purpose
and organisation 7.5 Setting objectives - the importance of mission 7.6
Organisational configuration 7.7 Leadership 7.8 Getting the best from
people - the 'secret' of really successful organisations 7.9 The importance
of organisational culture 7.10 Conclusion Chapter 8 Knowledge, innovation
and technology - the 'keys' to the future 8.1 Objectives of this chapter
8.2 Knowing and doing - linking them together to ensure appropriate action
8.3 The context of construction 8.4 Defining knowledge 8.5 Learning as a
way of organisational life 8.6 What is innovation? 8.7 The importance of
technology 8.8 Conclusion Chapter 9 Change - the only constant in strategy
9.1 Objectives of this chapter 9.2 The theoretical basis of change
management 9.3 Strategic change in organisations - deriving an
understanding of what is involved 9.4 Types of strategic change 9.5 The
causes of change 9.6 How to manage change 9.7 A change for the better?
Challenging the assumptions of the planned approach 9.8 Emergent models of
change 9.9 The role of managers in change 9.10 Strategic leadership
approaches 9.11 Changing the way things are really done 9.12 Communicating
change 9.13 Potential problems with change 9.14 Conclusion Chapter 10
Considering the development of strategic options 10.1 Objectives of this
chapter 10.2 What to do? 10.3 The importance of resources in making choice
10.4 Using the value chain to consider resources 10.5 Andrews and SWOT 10.6
The use of a resource-based view 10.7 The importance of core competences
10.8 Using the six criteria to judge strategy 10.9 The ADL Matrix 10.10 Who
makes the decision? 10.11 Using scenarios 10.12 The importance of context
10.13 Conclusion Chapter 11 Implementing the strategy - issues, dilemmas
and delivery of strategic outcomes 11.1 Objectives of this chapter 223 11.2
Getting to the end - the difference between 'intended' and 'realised'
strategy 11.3 The influence of purpose and dynamics on resources used 11.4
Planning for action 11.5 Making it happen - the influence of Kaplan and
Norton 11.6 Communication and approaches 11.7 Strategic control 11.8
Dealing with failure 11.9 How to recover 11.10 Retrenchment strategies
11.11 Turnaround strategies 11.12 Managing in recession and decline 11.13
What about turbulent markets? 11.14 A general review of how to ensure that
strategy remains coherent 11.15 Conclusion Chapter 12 Turning theory into
practice - some empirical examples of strategy in construction
organisations 12.1 Introduction to this chapter 12.2 An overview of the
contributions of strategic practice 12.3 Continual improvement in Thomas
Vale as a way of life 12.4 Past, present and future - survival strategies
in the face of a global downturn in construction work 12.5 'Specialisation
vs generalisation in the construction industry -a strategic overview':
Adonis construction 12.6 Interserve 12.7 Innovation and creativity in
Morgan Ashurst 12.8 As safe as houses - the importance of the NHBC 12.9
Strategic management and change in construction: 'The Argent Perspective'
12.10 Wates Construction 12.11 Strategic collaborative framework
partnerships in Birmingham Urban Design 12.12 Is it possible for a small
quantity surveying consultancy to survive and thrive in an economic crisis?
12.13 Strategic management in a micro-organisation References Further
Reading Glossary Index