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If you answered no, you have plenty of company because the
general consensus is the construction industry is broken... illustrated by the
shortages of skilled workers and managers, declining profit margins, increased
competition, poor quality, litigation, and excessive change orders to name a few
issues. Since these issues are complex, this resource web site provides a 360°
perspective from industry experts on the problems. This rounded perspective is
important because before the problems can be solved, they must be understood.
New Construction Strategies brings together leading
thinkers in business and the construction to discuss the
critical issues facing the construction industry. By looking at issues from a
360° perspective everyone has a
better chance of understanding the issues. This is important, because only by
first understanding the problems
that face the industry is there a chance to solve them.
Most people can make a list of problems in the construction industry;
including difficulty in hiring and retaining skilled workers, declining profit
margins, confrontation, litigation, poor quality, etcetera. However, these problems
are really only the symptoms for the true problems.
Rosabeth Moss Kanter wrote an interesting article in the Harvard
Business Review, entitled “Leadership and Psychology of Turnarounds. In the
article she identifies secrecy, blame, isolation, avoidance, passivity, and a
feeling of helplessness as traits of an organization that needs a turnaround.
Since the construction industry
shares these traits, it a reasonable conclusion that the construction is broken
and needs a turnaround.
Kanter further explained that organizations that made a successful
turnaround exhibited three important traits; namely better communication, more
collaboration, and respect for all stakeholders.
Therefore, New Construction
Strategies’ role is to bring together the people within the construction
industry to promote better communications, increase collaboration and to help
build the necessary mutual respect for each other.
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