Teo, A-L and Runeson, G (2001) Aspects of market differentiation in the building industry. Construction Economics and Building, 1(2), pp. 14-23. ISSN 2204-9029
Abstract
This paper deals with different aspects of differentiation as a strategy to maintain growth and profitability in a rapidly changing environment. The specific aim of the study was to establish constraints in the use of product differentiation as a survivor technique in the building industry. The study shows that firms in the building industry perceive the structure and operation of different markets in the building industry as substantially different. If firms are to improve their market positions by differentiating their output, they need therefore to adjust the way they operate, their resources and their skills base.The survey result also showed that a substantial proportion of all firms are not prepared to be involved in diversification but elect to operate in one market only, despite the obvious advantages of diversification. It would therefore seem likely that the changes in the way a firm operates and the resources it employs when it moves into new markets are substantial.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | differentiation; growth; profitability |
| Index terms: | diversification, building industry, product differentiation, profitability, differentiation, markets, strategy, survey |
| Subjects: | economic analysis, industry analysis, market analysis, business, organization, management, data collection methods |
| Topics: | Research Practice, Business Strategy, Organizational Design |
| Descriptive scope: | 2 CE |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here