Strategic management for construction organizations: Assessment and development of strategies to enhance corporate success

The short-term focus of project management permeates nearly every facet of the construction engineering industry. This primary focus on project management is found at: (1) construction job sites where resources must be managed intensively, (2) in corporate construction offices where critical resources must be balanced among multiple projects, (3) in professional development literature and seminars that provide updates on current industry practices, and (4) in graduate-level construction engineering and management programs that provide industry knowledge. This heavy emphasis on project management skills has resulted in the creation of a management knowledge gap between the project-level focus and corporate-level responsibilities within the construction engineering industry. To assist corporate-level managers in bridging this gap, this dissertation presents a strategic management analysis and benchmark for construction organizations. This analysis is based on a combination of industry leading practices, strategic objectives for construction organizations, and the seven critical factors of strategic management. Through this analysis, individual organizations can benchmark their current strategic management practices and establish long-term initiatives to develop strategies that enhance corporate success.