ABSTRACT
The pace of change in construction practice has imposed additional demands on construction management which require a more analytical competence than was previously the case. During this period construction has undergone a metamorphosis. An industry which was characterised by robust technologies and familiar practices is now one where the technologies are complex and composite and the practices transient and expedient. Contemporary construction management is therefore concerned with the management of a complex and volatile process where technological sophistication and project complexity exists in an uneasy and demanding symbiosis. Increased competition for a share of a reducing market requires higher levels of productivity, greater managerial efficiency and decision making ability. Construction managers with responsibilities for the physical project and the construction process are often forced to make important decisions based only on intuition and experience. These changes require a redefinition of professional functions and by extension, professional training. There is ample evidence to show that the quality and efficiency of the construction process is functionally dependent on the quality of the construction manager. Among other things this has led to development of the professional construction manager bringing with it a new set of contractual relationships.
