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The procedural and administrative aspects of UK tendering have remained largely unaltered for decades but this may soon change in light of the recent review of the construction sector, headed by Sir Michael Latham. This paper presents findings of a nationwide survey of UK construction contractors assessing their opinion of the Latham procurement recommendations, along with their opinion of the authors' proposals for alternative selection procedure. Contractor usage/opinion of current tendering methods, tendering documentation and contractual arrangements are also identified. Analysis techniques primarily involve the derivation of contractor preference, agreement and importance indices (Pri, Agi and Imi respectively). Results show that clients are attempting to cut costs by increased use of open tendering coupled with plan and specification tender documentation, but that savings are offset by clients ultimately paying for contractors' costs associated with their achieving contract award for only 1 in 5 bids. Generally, contractors are in tune with the ideals of the Latham review and characteristics pertaining to the HOLT (Highlight Optimum Legitimate Tender) selection technique.

In the last four years, since Volume I of this Bibliography first appeared, there has been an explosion of literature in all the main functional areas of business. This wealth of material poses problems for the researcher in management studies — and, of course, for the librarian: uncovering what has been written in any one area is not an easy task. This volume aims to help the librarian and the researcher overcome some of the immediate problems of identification of material. It is an annotated bibliography of management, drawing on the wide variety of literature produced by MCB University Press. Over the last four years, MCB University Press has produced an extensive range of books and serial publications covering most of the established and many of the developing areas of management. This volume, in conjunction with Volume I, provides a guide to all the material published so far.

A quantitative contractor selection technique which embraces the pre‐qualification, evaluation and final selection processes is being developed. The emphasis is on evaluating contractors' performance potential in terms of their ability to achieve time, cost and quality standards. This approach is in contrast to the majority of current selection techniques which tend to prequalify, then discriminate predominantly on the cost component of tenders. The conceptual model is applied to a hypothetical but realistic scenario of a contractor competing for a small industrial contract. This illustrates the mechanics of the new technique, emphasizing that contractor selection should include identifying the contractor with the best performance potential and not merely the lowest bidder.

The competition in the supply of concrete to the construction industry is very intense indeed, particularly in these present times of economic slump. It is therefore a distinct advantage to a supplier to improve efficiency and thereby competitability. A key factor in successfully achieving this objective is to operate the most suitable combination of trucks in the fleet and thus to minimise operating costs and reduce waste space from part loads. Many suppliers naturally try to do this and many techniques have been developed to try to solve the problem, including: (a) trial and error, where various size trucks are introduced and their performance monitored, the most suitable trucks are then selected over a period of time; (b) the truck size is established by reason of the plant locality, e.g. large trucks in city areas; (c) the forecast of annual demand for concrete is used in assessing truck sizes by considering general market trends.

The importance of clients' responsibilities in the construction process, as perceived by both clients and consultants, was assessed through a structured questionnaire survey. Using the relative index ranking technique, clients' fundamental needs and responsibilities in the construction process were analysed and ranked. Results indicate that the four most important needs are: functionality of the building, safety of the building, quality of the building, and completion time. The four most important clients' responsibilities identified by clients themselves are: planning/design, project finance, project implementation/management, and project definition/formulation. The four most important clients' responsibilities to project consultants are: project finance, project definition/formulation, planning/design, and project implementation/management. If both consultants and clients understand the fundamental needs of construction clients and if clients themselves are prepared to take an active role in the construction process, the chances of producing more successful projects will improve.

The results of a model based survey of contractors' planning engineers in France and the UK suggest that planned completion times for constructing an identical high‐rise in situ concrete framed structure are significantly and dramatically lower in France than in the UK. Average planned construction periods in France were 13 weeks, some 9 weeks faster than the UK average of 22 weeks. Since planned construction periods reflect past experience, French contractors apparently achieve superior levels of production performance whilst at the same time working fewer hours per week, utilizing directly employed workers and employing fewer supervisors. If such planned completion times are truly representative, the findings indicate comparatively poor UK contractor performance, and signify future problems for the British builder in the emerging European marketplace. The causes of such poor performance are complicated, but based on indicative French best practices: production is enhanced when scheduled overtime is avoided, a directly employed and mainly skilled workforce is engaged, and a maximum working time of 40 hours per week is the norm rather than the exception.

Notes that the real test of maintenance stratagem success (or failure in financial terms) can only be resolved when a comparison of machine maintenance costs can be made to some benchmark standard. Presents a comparative study between two models developed to predict the average hourly maintenance cost of tracked hydraulic excavators operating in the UK opencast mining industry. The models use the conventional statistical technique multiple regression, and artificial neural networks. Performance analysis using mean percentage error, mean absolute percentage error and percentage cost accuracy intervals was conducted. Results reveal that both models performed well, having low mean absolute percentage error values (less than 5 percent) indicating that predictor variables were reliable inputs for modelling average hourly maintenance cost. Overall, the neural network model performed slightly better as it was able to predict up to 95 percent of cost observations to within ≤q £5. Moreover, summary statistical analysis of residual values highlighted that predicted values using the neural network model are less subject to variance than the multiple regression model.

Illustrates, through review, the apparent success of science parks, which, despite increased occupancy and investment levels, remain dependent on public‐sector support. Highlights characteristics, which both contribute to such success and distinguish this form of development from other forms of property development (notably similar forms such as business parks). Proposes various determinants for the potential success of hi‐tech industrial property developments, and suggests that certain types of development (i.e. unfavourable geographical location) have been overwhelmingly motivated by a will to participate in urban economic regeneration contrary to prevailing market forces. Concludes by questioning the lasting benefits and potential for continued success of such development.

Looks at the shortage of skilled employees in the labour market of the construction industry and the reduction in the number of qualified workers. Considers ways that employee motivation can be improved and provides some examples of successful construction organizations making use of the principles of human resource management. Concludes that, through the practice of the philosophies of strategic human resource management, it is possible to develop a high level of consistency between organizational and individual needs.

To discuss the new guidance on public companies’ disclosure obligations regarding cybersecurity risks and incidents, which was recently unanimously approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Outlines the general disclose requirements and the materiality standard set forth by the SEC, explains specific guidance on public company cybersecurity disclosure, and discusses cybersecurity risk management and insider trading policies.

In addition to clarifying the disclosure requirements with respect to cybersecurity issues, the article discusses two additional areas of concern identified by the New Guidance that public companies should consider in the context of cybersecurity and related disclosure. First, public companies must design and maintain policies and procedures to help manage cybersecurity risks and respond to incidents as they occur. Second, public companies should consider adopting insider trading policies that specifically prohibit management and other corporate insiders from trading on the basis of material non-public information regarding a cybersecurity risk or incident.

Practical analysis of the guidance on disclosure obligations regarding cybersecurity risks and incidents, including discussion surrounding two aspects of cybersecurity not previously addressed in prior SEC staff guidance on the topic.