ABSTRACT
A grant levy system has been operated by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) since the 1960s. Firms in the construction industry also continually adapt to the challenge of new materials and technology and remain an innovating sector of the economy as new products and materials are introduced on site and integrated into the construction process. Procurement practices, the role of the architect, the planning system and land ownership are all rooted in the traditional past. The culture of the industry itself, as a whole, tends to reinforce the traditional fragmented nature of the sector. The behaviour of individual contractors and other firms is to some extent determined by the specific economic features of the construction sector. The conventional measurement of the size of the construction industry is based only on the value added to inputs by contractors on site.
