Written by a team of internationally respected experts, this book explores the conditions under which social policy, defined as the public pursuit of secure welfare, operates in the poorer regions of the world. Social policy in advanced capitalist countries operates through state intervention to compensate for the inadequate welfare outcomes of the labour market. Such welfare regimes cannot easily be reproduced in poorer regions of the world where states suffer problems of governance and labour markets are imperfect and partial. Other welfare regimes therefore prevail involving non-state actors such as landlords, moneylenders and patrons. This book seeks to develop a conceptual framework for understanding different types of welfare regime in a range of countries in Asia, Latin America and Africa and makes an important contribution to the literature by breaking away from the traditional focus on Europe and North America.
PurposeAlliancing and partnering have been extensively used to stimulate collaborative relations between supply chain members as well as to address the need to improve the performance of projects. Recognising the need to build and sustain relationships in alliances, the paper aims to present a model that is developed and tested by industry practitioners who are regularly involved with alliance contracting. The developed model can be used to encourage a culture of reflective learning and mutual trust, beyond merely project‐specific performance outcomes.Design/methodology/approachTo examine the applicability of the conceptual model to alliance contracting in construction an exploratory approach was adopted. A total of 49 in‐depth interviews were conducted over a six‐month period with a variety of industry practitioners (clients, contractors, design consultants, construction lawyers, and alliance facilitators) who had extensive experience with working in alliance contracts. Interviews were used as the mechanism to examine the themes and constructs identified from the literature.FindingsThe relationship development process represents a major contributor to successful alliance contracting and can add considerable value throughout the supply chain. There is a recognisable structure to relationship development that is underpinned by specific themes that should be considered when managing the alliance relationship. Trust and commitment are explicit elements that should be continually maintained in an alliance contract, and can significantly contribute to joint learning from joint problem‐solving activities. From the respondents' perspectives it appears that the entire process of relationship development hinged around individual relationships, trust and organizational development.Practical implicationsA three‐phase model for building alliances is developed and can be used by practitioners to improve the performance of projects.Social implicationsIt is suggested that the developed model can be used to promote a culture of reflective learning and mutual trust, beyond merely project‐specific performance outcomes.Originality/valueThe research develops a model for relationship development and maintenance in construction projects so that sustainable relationships can be established. The proposed model includes three phases: assessment, commitment and endurance. Being able to manage each of these phases effectively is critical for successful project delivery and stimulating innovation.
Purpose -While a considerable amount of knowledge has been accumulated about dispute causation, disputes continue to prevail and disharmonise the process of construction with considerable cost. This paper seeks to identify the underlying pathogens that clients and contractors perceive to contribute to disputes in construction projects. The identification of pathogens can provide an ameliorated understanding of the origin of disputes and therefore enable their prevention. Design/methodology/approach -Case law and focus groups with a client and contracting organisation from Western Australia are used to determine the pathogens of disputes. Findings -Analysis of the case law findings revealed that the underlying issues that were brought to litigation were to do with points of law, namely "civil procedure". A significant number of disputes are thus settled using alternative dispute resolution methods such as adjudication, arbitration and mediation. For clients the underlying latent conditions that resulted in a dispute were due to the nature of the task being performed (e.g. failure to detect and correct errors) and those arising from people's deliberate practices (e.g. failure to oblige by contractual requirements). For the contractor focus group the circumstances arising from the situation or environment the project was operating in were identified as the main underlying latent condition for disputes (e.g. unforeseen scope changes). Research limitations/implications -Focus groups are only undertaken with clients and contracting groups as they were identified as the main parties involved in dispute during the analysis of litigation cases within Western Australia. Input from consultants and subcontractors may provide a more balanced perspective as to the perceived causes and costs of disputes. Originality/value -The research has been able to provide the initial building blocks for understanding the underlying pathogens contributing to disputes. However, more empirical research is required before conclusive findings can be made, particularly with regard to the influences on subcontractors.
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