Direct and Indirect Resource Utilisation by the Construction Sector: The Case of the US since World War II*

The study of resource utilisation by the construction sector which focuses on direct inputs only is of limited value for the understanding of the construction sector’s role in the national economy. Although the construction sector mobilises a significant proportion of national resources through direct purchases, its total impact on the national economy is considerably greater. This impact can be gauged with the aid of input-output analysis, which provides a general framework for the study of resource utilisation by the construction sector in the context of sectoral interdependence.