Rethinking competitiveness for the construction industry

The concept 'competitiveness' is an important element in the debate on the performance of nations, industries and firms. The purpose of this paper is, firstly, to highlight the need to ask the right questions in order to specify the meaning and measurement of 'competitiveness' and secondly to introduce a new definition of competitiveness for a nation's construction industry. An examination of the extant literature on 'competitiveness' and its associated measures, reveals that there is a vital link between 'competitiveness' and the principal goals, the mission, of a nation and firm respectively, but also that these missions are not completely covered by the measures used today. This observation enables the formulation of a definition of 'competitiveness' for a nation's construction industry. It is concluded that 'competitiveness' for a nation's construction industry must consider the needs and expectations of companies, clients and society respectively and simultaneously and cannot be captured by a single measure.