The strategic management of architectural practice

The paper develops a model for the strategic rnanagement of architectural practice with the aim of better understanding how practices compete with each other for work around a tripartite definition of quality. It assesses the ways in which architectural practices are distinctive as knowledge-based organizations, before assessing some of the characteristics of their industrial context. Drawing on the work of Maister and Porter, it then develops a model of generic strategies for architectural practice which, it is suggested, can form the basis for further research and consultancy. Finally, some comments are made suggesting why architectural practices are relucant to think in strategic terms.