Decision-making in the selection of domestic subcontractors

The dissertation investigates the decision making process utilised by main contractors when selecting subcontractors. In Part 1 the types of subcontractor employed are defined, similarly the reasons why subcontractors are used, and the size and importance of this service to the construction industry. The latest JCT Standard Form of Building Contract (1980) is reviewed with its implications to subcontracting. The problems associated with the use of nominated or domestic subcontractors are defined in Section 1.6 along with the arguments by various parties supporting either faction. Problems existed for main contractors in decision making and consequently the selection of domestic subcontractors. Problems which appeared to have considerable bearing on the ability of the main contractor to meet their commitments on site and to achieve a commercially acceptable return on their large capital outlay in this service. Part 2 defines the decision making process and details the methods of decision making thought appropriate to the construction industry. Part 3 describes the aims of the dissertation along with methods used in the literature search, the three major works on the subject, and details of the postal questionnaire and structured interview. Part 4 analyses the results of interviews with ten contractors of varying size along with the 42 completed postal questionnaires, to establish contractors attitudes and constraints to the selection of domestic subcontractors. Part 5 analyses the results of interviews with 3 leading subcontractors to gain a balanced view of the selection situation. The conclusions in Part 6 suggest the constraints and influences to decision making, along with methods used and the contractors' attitudes to domestic subcontractor selection