ABSTRACT
Despite the initiative fatigue at the end of the decade of reform, and the apparent loss of momentum following the collapse of the combined client movement in 2002/2003, the subsequent two years have in fact seen wider acceptance in the industry and, throughout the public and private sectors of the UK economy, of the co-operative and more integrated approaches recommended in the Latham and Egan reports. This in turn has produced perceived, measurable and audited improvement in public and private sector construction programmes. High profile failures in certain prestige projects, in relation to cost and time overruns, design failures and technical shortcomings, have of course made media headlines given the preference of the UK media for failure, but the Government’s and industry’s commitment to achieving the improvements recommended by Latham and Egan has ensured recognition of the importance of construction to the national economic well-being, and the need to preserve and develop this through collaboration rather than contractually.
