A survey of supply chain collaboration and management

The paper details the results of a questionnaire survey of supply chain collaboration and management in the top the UK construction industry contractors. The results indicate the formation of a signi"cant number of partnerships / collaborative agreements between contractors, suppliers and clients following the publication of the Latham (1994) and Egan (1997) reports. It appears that construction supply chain management (SCM) is still at its infancy but some awareness of the philosophy is evident. Contractors identi"ed improved production planning and purchasing as key targets for the application of SCM in construction. Barriers to success included: workplace culture, lack of senior management commitment, inappropriate support structures and a lack of knowledge of SCM philosophy. Training and education at all levels in the industry are necessary to overcome these bar