Construction Competition and Competitive Strategies

Abstract

During the past two decades the global marketplace has changed, and U.S. engineering and construction firms have had to deal with many new competitors. This has created a need for understanding global dynamics and competition, developing new and innovative competitive strategies, and taking actions to maintain world‐class leadership. To investigate global competitiveness and provide clarification, the driving forces that help shape competition in the global engineering and construction marketplace were studied. This paper summarizes research on the factors that affect the competitiveness of engineering and construction firms that was sponsored by the Construction Industry Institute (CII) Construction 2000 Task Force. Historical and current trends were analyzed to help identify the driving forces that may shape the future of the engineering and construction industries. This research specifically addressed the following aspects as they relate to the future of competitiveness: the shaping of corporate capabilities; financing options; management, organization, and structure; work force characteristics; and technological issues.