The World Bank is not an institution with a reputation for being a leading light in much outside banking, although it is acknowledged as being well stocked with very bright and highly educated people. One of its economists has just hit the headlines for providing a new proof of Pythagoras’ theorem – the one about isosceles triangles (check Wikipedia if you need to know more).
Blog and Comment
Contract administration not good enough?
Some good news for UK construction comes out of the latest Arcadis survey of disputes worldwide, the fifth in an annual series. The survey finds that parties to UK construction contracts are proving to be more willing to negotiate settlements to disputes before they reach court and the courts are managing to control the costs of those actions that go ahead.
Rising tide might sink late payment culture
It will probably surprise few to read in news this month that construction suffers more from the bugbear of late payments than any other industry; and smaller firms in the industry suffer worst of all. Waiting 80 days has not been unusual for many years, and the latest survey suggests delays of up to 107 days.
Professions need to change
A report has just been published on ‘the future of professionalism’ in construction (see news). ‘Collaboration for Change’ is in fact about the future of the professions; contractors and materials and product suppliers are outside the scope of the report and would be injured at the suggestion there was no professionalism in the industry outside the ranks of architects, engineers and surveyors.
Bidding burden must come down
A recently published survey of bidding costs among the UK’s contractors and consultants makes for some worrying reading. That the costs are high and rising is widely appreciated within the industry but to see the extent of the problem spelled out will be a shock to some.
Rumblings in the procurement jungle
Something must be bad in the world of public sector procurement when politicians are waking up to the fact that something needs to be done about it. Much has been said – and even more observed – about the poor management skills that seem to underpin much of the public sector’s procurement management, but little seems to get done, so any signs of activity among politicians are to be welcomed.
Late payments regulator on the way?
The perennial late payments problem has been getting a lot of attention recently with news from the government that it is considering new laws including giving trade bodies the right to tackle abuses (see news).
An imperfectly expert system
Shock headlines about a report late last year ran along the lines of ‘Lawyers push experts to favour clients.’
Rocky road to revolution ahead
Prime Minister David Cameron’s recent pledge of a ‘roads revolution’ was a welcome sign that the government has woken up to the need to replace and improve much of the UK’s infrastructure.
Contract suspension passes the test
Infrastructure investment may be about to take off to levels not seen in the UK for many years, but the construction industry can vouch for the fact that the much trumpeted increased workloads are nowhere to be seen yet.