Ward’s Words: January 201818 January, 2018 by Don Ward

Constructing Excellence

Will the Carillion news this week focus enough minds sufficiently to make a difference? Two angles have particularly struck me.

One was that a number of sector figures stepped up well to answer media interest. For example, Rudi Klein of SEC Group and Suzannah Nichol of Build UK provided good informative stuff to the BBC and other outlets, and our co-chair Mark Farmer answered a set of perfectly fair questions put by Sky News. You can see Mark’s interview via his twitter feed here. The sector doesn’t always get a fair hearing, especially in such crises, but these representatives did a good job of communicating the issues and implications.

The second was that, coupled with the Grenfell Tower disaster, it is surely beyond doubt now that the sector faces a defining change. Andy Walker of Infrastructure Intelligence captured it well in an excellent leader, under the heading Carillion is a wake-up call for industry and government. He writes as follows, but it’s well worth reading the whole piece.

“The fall of Carillion must be a catalyst for real and lasting change in the construction industry and to the way that government procures public sector projects.

In most of the analysis and comment following the demise of Carillion, a number of common themes have emerged. Chief amongst them is the almost universal view that the business model for the procurement of major construction and infrastructure projects (and public service contracts) is broken and not fit for purpose…..

A perfect storm of ever-tightening, already slender profit margins, under-bidding for projects, negative cashflows, poor management and highly dubious (to put it kindly) government oversight of its public sector procurement regime, has led to the UK’s second largest construction firm hitting the buffers.

Let’s be under no illusions here – this is a seminal moment for both business and government. It is surely a wake-up call that should bring about much-needed and long-awaited major structural change in the construction industry….”

This reminded me of Never Waste a Good Crisis, in 2009 we wrote:

“The low penetration of cultural change has been exposed by the current economic downturn, with evidence that clients and main contractors are now reverting to type (if they were ever committed to partnering the supply chain in the first place). Instead of drawing opportunity up from the supply chain, there is a determination by main contractors in particular to tender every package, every time, and select on the basis of lowest price.

We are seeing a return to long tender lists, firms chasing work at unsustainable margins, cost and time overruns, jettisoning of quality or sustainability initiatives and more of a claims-oriented approach. One major contractor recently reported in private that their strategy was “to bid low and provide in the budget for a claims consultant”. Other anecdotal evidence describes longer payment cycles, further fragmentation of supply chains and the practice of ‘subbie-bashing’ by retendering sub-contracts.”

So since 2009 it can truly be argued that we did indeed waste a good crisis. Are we going to do so again? I am sure we will discuss some more at the upcoming members events including the members forum on Jan 24th,  members steering group on Feb 13th and ECI conference on Feb 21st.

354 thoughts on “Ward’s Words: January 2018”

  1. Hi Don, When I worked in construction (and construction reform) back in the ‘Egan/Latham days’ I was persistently disheartened by the, at most, skin-deep penetration of supply chain best practices and the ease with which vocal commitments to change were abandoned at the first opportunity. Nonetheless, despite eventually leaving the construction industry to its own devices, I still nurtured a (hopelessly) optimistic belief that the necessary cultural changes might take a generation or so to take root. Yet here we are a generation or so down the line and it’s ‘same old, same old’.

    Just a few months before ‘Constructing the Team’ (the first of the Holy Reform Trinity), was published, a film called Groundhog Day came out. The difference being that anti-hero Phil Connors finally managed to escape the loop…

  2. hey Alan, good to hear from you. Hope all is well with you. I use the groundhog day analogy a lot!

  9. where to buy generic clomid online [url=http://clomidrexpharm.com/#]clomid purchase online rex pharm[/url] can i get clomid price

  15. where can i get cheap clomid without dr prescription [url=https://clomidrexpharm.com/#]clomid rex pharm[/url] can i purchase generic clomid pills

  29. cytotec buy online usa [url=http://cytpremium.com/#]cytpremium[/url] buy cytotec pills online cheap

  33. cheapest Lisinopril [url=http://lisinopril1st.com/#]cheapest Lisinopril[/url] buy Lisinopril 1st

  49. вавада [url=http://vavada-kazi.ru/#]вавада онлайн казино[/url] вавада

  61. pinup-kazi.kz [url=https://pinup-kazi.kz/#]pin up казино[/url] пин ап казино онлайн

  67. пин ап казино официальный сайт [url=http://pinup-kazi.ru/#]пин ап вход[/url] пин ап вход

  73. vacuum pumps for ed [url=http://canadianpharm1st.com/#]canadian pharm 1st[/url] ed pills for sale

  77. india pharmacy mail order [url=http://indianpharmstar.com/#]indian pharm[/url] Online medicine home delivery

  82. mexico pharmacies prescription drugs [url=http://mexicanpharmeasy.com/#]MexicanPharmEasy[/url] mexico drug stores pharmacies

  86. male enhancement products [url=http://canadianpharm1st.com/#]canadianpharm1st[/url] erectile dysfunction treatment

  92. india online pharmacy [url=https://indianpharmstar.com/#]indian pharm star[/url] Online medicine order

  96. erectile dysfunction treatment [url=http://canadianpharm1st.com/#]canadian pharmacy[/url] cheap medications

  102. drug prices [url=https://canadianpharm1st.com/#]canadianpharm1st.com[/url] over the counter ed remedies

  107. the best ed pill [url=https://canadianpharm1st.com/#]canada pharmacy online[/url] online drugstore

  112. antibiotic amoxicillin [url=https://amoxilpharm.store/#]Amoxil Pharm Store[/url] AmoxilPharm

  124. Ivermectin Pharm [url=http://ivermectinpharm.store/#]buy ivermectin cream for humans[/url] minocycline acne

  136. Amoxil Pharm Store [url=http://amoxilpharm.store/#]Amoxil Pharm Store[/url] Amoxil Pharm Store

  140. can i get clomid prices [url=http://clomid.store/#]buying cheap clomid without insurance[/url] where can i buy generic clomid without prescription

  145. how can i get generic clomid [url=https://clomid.store/#]can i buy clomid without insurance[/url] where to get clomid prices

  147. http://clomid.store/# how to buy clomid without a prescription
    zithromax 250 mg tablet price [url=http://azithromycinus.com/#]buy cheap zithromax online[/url] can you buy zithromax over the counter in australia

  150. how to buy zithromax online [url=https://azithromycinus.com/#]where can you buy zithromax[/url] buy generic zithromax online

  156. lisinopril price comparison [url=https://lisinoprilus.com/#]how much is 30 lisinopril[/url] lisinopril brand name in india

  160. buy generic clomid [url=http://clomid.store/#]can you get clomid for sale[/url] buying cheap clomid online

  164. can you buy cheap clomid now [url=https://clomid.store/#]where buy generic clomid price[/url] can you get cheap clomid without rx

  171. where to buy cheap clomid without prescription [url=http://clomid.store/#]clomid pill[/url] where to get cheap clomid without a prescription

  176. cytotec buy online usa [url=https://cytotec.top/#]order cytotec online[/url] buy misoprostol over the counter

  180. can i buy zithromax online [url=https://azithromycinus.com/#]zithromax 250 mg australia[/url] generic zithromax over the counter

  185. buy ciprofloxacin over the counter [url=http://ciprofloxacin.cheap/#]buy generic ciprofloxacin[/url] buy cipro online without prescription

  191. buy generic ciprofloxacin [url=https://ciprofloxacin.cheap/#]cipro pharmacy[/url] buy ciprofloxacin over the counter

  197. Buy Cenforce 100mg Online [url=https://cenforce.icu/#]Purchase Cenforce Online[/url] Purchase Cenforce Online

  220. en gГјvenilir bahis [url=http://casinositeleri2025.pro/#]online casino[/url] kayД±t bonusu veren casino siteleri

  223. пин ап зеркало [url=https://pinup2025.com/#]пин ап[/url] пин ап казино зеркало

  233. gГјvenilir oyun siteleri [url=https://casinositeleri2025.pro/#]gГјvenilir bahis siteleri 2025[/url] gГјvenilir casino siteleri

  237. пин ап [url=http://pinup2025.com/#]пин ап казино зеркало[/url] pinup 2025

  245. casino maxi [url=http://casinositeleri2025.pro/#]dГјnyanД±n en iyi bahis siteleri[/url] jackpot play nedir

  249. пин ап зеркало [url=http://pinup2025.com/#]pinup 2025[/url] пин ап казино зеркало

  256. en cok kazand?ran slot oyunlar? [url=http://slottr.top/#]en kazancl? slot oyunlar?[/url] slot oyunlar?

  262. slot oyunlar? puf noktalar? [url=https://slottr.top/#]az parayla cok kazandiran slot oyunlar?[/url] en kazancl? slot oyunlar?

  265. en kazancl? slot oyunlar? [url=https://slottr.top/#]en kazancl? slot oyunlar?[/url] slot oyunlar? puf noktalar?

  271. reputable indian online pharmacy [url=https://indiapharmi.com/#]indiapharmi[/url] top 10 pharmacies in india

  275. best online pharmacy india [url=http://indiapharmi.com/#]India pharmacy delivery[/url] india pharmacy

  285. pharmacies in mexico that ship to usa [url=http://mexicanpharmi.com/#]Online Mexican pharmacy[/url] medication from mexico pharmacy

  290. mail order pharmacy india [url=https://indiapharmi.com/#]Pharmacies in India that ship to USA[/url] best online pharmacy india

  295. best online pharmacy india [url=https://indiapharmi.com/#]indian pharmacy[/url] cheapest online pharmacy india

  299. buying prescription drugs in mexico [url=http://mexicanpharmi.com/#]Online Mexican pharmacy[/url] mexican online pharmacies prescription drugs

  305. over the counter prednisone pills [url=https://prednibest.com/#]Predni Best[/url] buy prednisone 5mg canada

  309. amoxicillin generic [url=https://amoxstar.com/#]cost of amoxicillin prescription[/url] amoxicillin 500 mg brand name

  312. prednisone 10 mg tablets [url=http://prednibest.com/#]Predni Best[/url] price of prednisone 5mg

  318. cost of amoxicillin 30 capsules [url=https://amoxstar.com/#]amoxicillin 500 mg purchase without prescription[/url] can you buy amoxicillin uk

  322. cipro ciprofloxacin [url=https://cipharmdelivery.com/#]ci pharm delivery[/url] buy ciprofloxacin over the counter

  329. how can i get clomid prices [url=http://clomidonpharm.com/#]clomidonpharm[/url] where to buy generic clomid pill

  332. prednisone 20 mg tablet price [url=http://prednibest.com/#]PredniBest[/url] buy prednisone online from canada

  336. prednisone canada prices [url=https://prednibest.com/#]prednisone generic cost[/url] prednisone 10 mg canada

  340. how to buy prednisone [url=http://prednibest.com/#]prednisone 20mg online without prescription[/url] cost of prednisone

  343. buy prednisone online australia [url=https://prednibest.com/#]Predni Best[/url] prednisone 10mg price in india

  346. can you buy amoxicillin over the counter [url=http://amoxstar.com/#]amoxacillian without a percription[/url] amoxicillin without prescription

  350. amoxicillin 875 mg tablet [url=https://amoxstar.com/#]Amox Star[/url] amoxicillin 500mg over the counter

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *