Experts agree it’s going to be a new world once the U.S. emerges from the current economic slump. But what will that look like?
The past once was a good predictor of the future. No more. Patterns and preferences of all sorts are shifting in economics, housing, infrastructure, culture and demographics. The question when trying to predict the future is which of those patterns are “cyclical recessionary impacts” and which are “underlying seismic shifts” that will continue indefinitely, said James Chung, president of Reach Advisors, Slingerlands, N.Y.
Chung and two panels, one featuring construction professionals and the other owners, explored future scenarios at the Society for Marketing Professional Services Foundation Think Tank on Oct. 11-12 in Washington, D.C. On the downside, bids and rates are staying low, funding is lagging, and work is scarce. However, quality seems to be improving, joint-venture partnerships are flourishing, and innovation is more welcome than ever, panelists said.
Industry professionals are adapting to their new reality in pricing, partnerships and planning. “We’re changing our rate structure. It could be a generation before we see rates going back up,” said Doug Wignall, international director of health care for HDR Architecture Inc., Omaha, Neb. “We’ve expanded the meaning of the word ‘client’ ” to include partners such as design firms and subcontractors, said John Tarpey, CEO, North region, for Balfour Beatty Construction, Fairfax, Va.
美国国家高速公路协会和运输官员计划主任吉姆·麦克唐纳（Jim McDonnell）说：“人们会听取同行的声音，因此，如果工作进展顺利，请提出共同宣传。”休斯敦Slack＆Co。Contracting Inc.总裁Jim Slack Jr.说：“我们向前看的窗口是一年前六到九个月。现在我们正在寻找两年的时间，我们正在寻找更大的项目。”18luck官网
业主看到更多的团队向他们提出建议，这带来了挑战和奖励。“我们已经看到了一些非凡的合作，”美国陆军工程兵团的负责人，运营和监管社区迈克尔·恩斯（Michael Ensch）说。他建议通过行业组织认识潜在伙伴，这样可以更轻松地合作。
Sometimes construction gets ahead of design on short-fused projects, and it requires extraordinary teamwork to succeed, said Peter Arn, vice president of capital improvements for LifeBridge Health, Baltimore. He recommends mentoring by a larger firm to help small firms win work, which, in LifeBridge’s experience, decreases risk.
The lagging economy is bringing unexpected benefits to owners. Steve Thweatt, assistant vice president of planning, design and construction for Emory University, Atlanta, said, “The quality of work and attention to service has improved. There was room for that; it’s a welcome change. When things get busy again, it will be pressure again for fast, fast, fast.”
Despite the high jobless rate, recruitment remains difficult for all. People in positions that once were subject to relocation now are reluctant to pick up and move. For example, they may have a spouse with a career or a son with a prized quarterback slot on the high school football team who don’t want to be uprooted, said Thomas Scarangello, chairman of structural engineer Thornton Tomasetti. David L. Richter, president and COO of Hill International, added, “Shanghai, Dubai, Mumbai or goodbye” is the conversation he has had with prospective employees.
Everyone wants to know what owners want, and the client panel gave suggestions (see box). They also marveled at mistakes they see over and over. Les Shepherd, chief architect for U.S. General Services Administration, said, “I’m surprised at the architectural firms that don’t do their homework. They will marry up with a contractor that we haven’t had good experience with, and they move to the bottom of the list.” He added, “We do call references. I can’t tell you how many times they say, ‘I can’t believe they listed us as a reference. Let me tell you how this project went!’ ” Follow the rules of the solicitation in detail, he added, citing one firm that was ahead of the other contenders but lost by bringing 10 people to an interview when the limit was five.
| • Visit the site of the project ahead of time, even if you have to travel. |
| • Put together a team in which the different cultures mesh. (This strategy is more important than compatible computer platforms.) |
| • Make certain that every team member you propose will be on the project—and stay. |
| •不要在您的正式联系人的官方点后面或之后走来走去，以便踏入门或内部信息。这样的举动只会使他们更难选择您。 |
| • Establish a rapport. Owners say again and again that chemistry is a key factor in selecting a winner. |
| •不要过分嘲笑所有者团队中的人。如果您对他们有太多了解，他们认为这令人毛骨悚然。 |
| • Treat the administrative staff and the rank- and-file people well. They have more influence than you think. |
