The first edition of Construction Management in Practice appeared in 1982.Since then there have been significant changes in the construction industry and its practices (outlined in chapter 1) and the new edition reflects these changes.
Chapters 2 and 3 on strategic management have been completely rewritten to reflect recent developments in strategic thinking and the way in which construction firms are now thinking more strategically.Trades unions have always been undermined in the construction
industry by the self-employment system, which has increased in the last 20 years; this was exacerbated by the introduction of legislation to limit the power of unions during the Thatcher era. The chapter on industrial relations, whilst still dealing with the mechanics of collective bargaining, focuses more on management roles and empowerment of the work force.
As is pointed out in chapter 1, accident statistics for the construction industry have improved but are still far too high. Chapter 5 revisits the problem, again emphasising the current magnitude of the problem and reviewing the more stringent legislation which has been put in place since 1980. In particular, it emphasises the changing attitudes to health and safety and the need for the construction industry to adopt safer working practices.Two chapters in the first edition on manpower planning and personnel management have been consolidated into a single chapter on managing people. The human resource management (HRM) function is still undervalued in most construction firms and the need to audit current and future needs for staff is often avoided by citing the need in the industry for firms to retain flexibility. The result is the well-known skill shortages, which the industry perpetually suffers. Until HRM issues are included in the strategic thinking and planning of construction firms, this problem will continue. This leads to the second aspect of HRM dealt with in this chapter ± the need to attract and offer career development opportunities to young people. Staff and operative levels are discussed, as is the recent use of learning networks to create learning organisations in the con-struction industry. Chapters 7, 8 and 9 have been revised to reflect changes in financial
management and accounting practices since 1982.
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