Change in the Construction Industry: An Account of the UK Construction Industry Reform Movement 1993-2003

The UK construction industry is the sixth largest industry in the UK in terms of turnover. During the last decade, the industry has undergone an unprecedented period of self-examination, including input from most of the leaders of the major suppliers and clients, both private and public sector, as well as from leading Ministers and opposition politicians, their civil servants and political advisers. Government and industry have attempted to work together to achieve political and structural change in the industry through collaborative action, and to bring about nothing less than a re-organization of the way it undertakes its business. This informative account details and documents, in an objective and functional way, what exactly happened and the reasons for it, and offers an unbiased interpretation of the success or failure of the various initiatives that emerged, such as the Movement for Innovation, Rethinking Construction and Constructing Excellence. It provides invaluable source material forstudents of government/industry relations, for industry practitioners and clients, and for economic and social commentators. It draws on personal accounts from politicians, civil servants, advisers and industry leaders who were involved at the time, and who are willing to be quoted and identified.