Moving from production to services: A built environment cluster framework

Abstract

The construction industry is no longer focused on providing a single product ‐ i.e. a building or a physical infrastructure, but a variety of services and improvement to the human environment. Major trends such as Performance‐based Building as well as Sustainable Built Environment are calling for major changes. These changes mean additional roles for the industry as well as the need for new indicators to measure its performance and its economic impact. This paper proposes a new approach based on the development of a framework for the analysis of the entire construction and property sector ‐ the “built environment cluster”. It extends the analysis of an international study based on nine countries ‐Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Lithuania, Portugal, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. The need for improving statistical data is stressed particularly in the context of enlarging the scope of the industry. This new approach provides an excellent starting point for developing new performance indicators that will take into account the changing nature of the industry, for an integrative perspective providing a basis for strategic management, for studying sustainable development in construction and for understanding innovation processes and changes. A comprehensive perspective of the industry performance is crucial for policy initiatives as well as for strategic analysis of firms.

SANTRUKA

Statybos pramone jau nebera sutelkta i vieno produkto tiekima, t. y. i pastata ar fizine infrastruktūra, o teikia daugybe paslaugu ir siūlo tobulinti žmogaus aplinka. Pagrindines tendencijos, tokios kaip subalansuota statyba ir subalansuotas aplinkos apstatymas, yra susijusios su reikšmingais pokyčiais. Tokie pokyčiai reiškia papildomus šios pramones šakos vaidmenis ir nauju rodikliu, kuriais būtu galima ivertinti jos rezultatus ir ekonomini poveiki, poreiki. Šiame darbe siūlomas naujas metodas, pagristas struktūros sukūrimu viso statybos ir nuosavybes sektoriaus analizei ‐isisavintos aplinkos klasteris. Tai dalis tarptautinio tyrimo, atlikto devyniose šalyse: Australijoje, Kanadoje, Danijoje, Prancūzijoje, Vokietijoje, Lietuvoje, Portugalijoje, Švedijoje ir Jungtineje Karalysteje. Poreikis patobulinti statistinius duomenis yra ypač pabrežiamas šios pramones šakos aprepties didinimo kontekste. Šis naujas metodas tampa puikiu išeities tašku kuriant naujus rezultatyvumo rodiklius, kurie vertina kintanti pramones šakos pobūdi, nustatant integracine perspektyva, suteikiančia pagrinda strateginiam valdymui, studijuojant subalansuota pletra statyboje ir siekiant suprasti inovacinius procesus ir pokyčius. Visapuse statybos šakos veiklos perspektyva yra būtina ir politikos iniciatyvoms, ir strateginei firmu analizei.

Keywords:

• Built environment cluster
• Construction and property sector
• Developed countries
• International comparison
• Mesoeconomics