CSIR Building and Construction Technology publication - Akani

CSIR assists the Construction Industry Development Board in preparing the Construction Industry Status Report

The Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) drew on the skills and past experience of CSIR Building and Construction Technology (Boutek) in compiling the 2004 Construction Industry Status Report. Four of the eight consultants appointed by the CIDB to assist in producing the Status Report were CSIR Boutek researchers Steve van Huyssteen, Llewellyn van Wyk, Lucy Chege and Sihle Dlungwana.

The Construction Industry Status Report is a review of all components of the industry that provides an overview of the current state of the industry and its preparedness to undertake key development challenges facing South Africa. It is also intended to stimulate reflection on performance and inspire the taking of responsibility to meet the challenges of growing the industry, enhancing delivery processes, improving industry performance and meeting the transformation expectations of the country.

The primary responsibility of the CSIR Boutek researchers was in undertaking the perception survey of industry roleplayers to provide a sound basis for the positions put forward in the final document. The perception surveys were undertaken in two parts, the first consisting of a series of interviews with major stakeholders to establish the key concerns and issues that the Status Report should address, and the second entailing a perception survey of a large sample of respondents from the major sectors of the industry. The sectors surveyed were public and private clients, professional service providers, construction contractors, material and equipment suppliers, and financiers.

The perception survey used a structured, questionnaire-based approach to interview respondents. The questionnaire gathered information on the description of the organisation, the way the organisation interacts with other construction industry roleplayers, the organisation's perception of its own performance and the performance of other roleplayers. Strengths and weaknesses were discussed further to obtain the reasons for good or bad performance.

The sample drew respondents from all geographical areas and organisation-sizes and considered both the established and emerging sectors. A total of two hundred interviews were conducted. Steve van Huyssteen and Llewellyn van Wyk conducted surveys with the majority of the sectors in several regions, while Lucy Chege undertook a survey of financiers and Sihle Dlungwana compiled a study of emerging contractors.

The Status Report was prepared by the CIDB, based largely on the findings of the perception survey and was launched by the Minister of Public Works, Ms Stella Sigcau, in April 2004.

Download the following documents in pdf format:

Construction Industry Status report [File size 916KB]

CIDB Media Release with launch of status report [File size 85KB]

Minister's speech with launch of the status report [File size 95KB]

Related Akani article:

Akani, July 2004

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