Discourses of competitiveness in the Chinese construction sector

The transition of China to a socialist market economy has transformed the way in which professionals, policy makers and scholars analyze the construction sector. Terms such as competitiveness and enterprise now dominate discussions; however, litter research on how these terms been used and applied has been done. This paper explores shifts in the discourses of competitiveness in Chinese government policy documents into the academic literature and the Chinese construction sector.The competitiveness research agenda has in recent years seen the emerging of various approaches to understanding how competitiveness is constituted in particular national contexts. The focus on discourse encourages researchers to position the popularity of competitiveness within the broader processes of economic restructuring. It is important to recognise that the notion of 'discourse' often comprises policy initiatives and material practices in addition to the associated rhetoric. Hence the discourse of competitiveness is grounded in the changing policy landscape which shapes the business transactions of the contracting sector. Of particular significance is the advent of China’s 'Open Door' policy in 1978. The resulting policy discourse of the social market has since had radical implication for way construction is procured and delivered. Several distinct discourses of competitiveness have been promoted by the Chinese government. Examples include the initial emphasis on basis skills and the subsequent focus on operational management and technological improvement. An analysis of academic and policy discourse stand in sharp contrast to current modes of research which too often seek to reify competitiveness and to define it through a set of pre-determined 'factors'.  The discourses analysis presented in here provides a basis for future exploration into the ways in which construction professionals have engaged with a rapidly changing policy and industrial context.