ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at the turbulent market in which the professional firm operates, in particular the fragmented nature of the building industry and the roles of the different players who are, in many cases, competing for the same commission. Many of these issues are recurring themes in building. However, an investigation of the marketplace for services and the players competing in it helps to identify some of the issues facing the competitive firm. The chapter concludes by looking at the main challenges facing the architectural firm and suggests that the battle is as much from within the firm as from outside it.
