Competence and timing dilemma in construction planning

Who should be assigned the task of planning a construction project and within what time-frame poses serious problems. Choosing between the likely candidates - manager or staff specialist and their respective strengths and weaknesses - is fraught with pitfalls. The awards and penalties linked to long lead-time planning as against short-term planning befog the decision process. Many companies are vexed by the dilemmas resulting from any solution to the 'who' and 'when' questions but by sidestepping or overlooking them they invite deficiencies with dire consequences. After an analysis of these issues the article proposes a new approach for the design of the construction planning process.