Winch, G and Campagnac, E (1995) The organization of building projects: An Anglo/French comparison. Construction Management and Economics, 13(1), pp. 3-14. ISSN 01446193
Abstract
The paper reports the results of a comparative research project on the organization of the production of social housing in Great Britain and France. Comparing two matched projects longitudinally using the methodology croisee, the analysis compares and contrasts the structure and process of the two projects. The British project is identified as being characterized by risk shedding, cost control and the externalization of variability, while the French one is characterized by risk sharing, cost reduction and the internalization of variability. Placing the case projects in the context of the contracting systems of the two countries, the three CS of contracting systems are identified - conception, construction and control. In conclusion, it is argued that it is from the organization of contracting systems that competitive advantage in the emerging European construction industry will be derived.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | contracting system; France; Great Britain; project organization; social housing |
| Index terms: | placing, construction industry, social housing, variability, competitive advantage, cost control, methodology, cost reduction, France, comparative research, project organization |
| Subjects: | housing and residential development, market analysis, industry analysis, statistical analysis, concrete and cementitious materials, research methods, economics, organizational theory, Geography, financial and cost management, research design and methodology |
| Topics: | Urban Studies, Construction Materials, Research Practice, Project Management, Geographical Context, Cost Management |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTA |
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