Client procurement strategies: A cross-sectoral analysis

Earlier research suggested that the UK construction industry should adopt best practice from other industries to help improve its productivity. This paper reports on research to examine general procurement practices across all areas of a clients' business. This has been compared with the practices used by the same organization specifically to procure construction projects. The study has taken a cross-sectoral approach drawing on experiences from three different industries: telecommunications, transport and automotive manufacturing. The case studies have comprised interviews at three or more tiers of the supply chain, encompassing parent companies, commissioning clients, main contractors and subcontractors. Analyses have taken place within each case study between construction procurement and other procurement practices. Significant similarities and key differences in the approach to the supply chain are drawn across the case studies.