IQ Spring 2013 - (Page 18)
on the shelF//
The Dynamics of Design-Build Success
By ian P. Murphy
18
spring//2013
tom Porter, Former dbia Chairman and current vice president and general counsel for LeChase
Construction in Rochester, N.Y., has penned Profit,
Risk & Leadership: The Business of Construction &
Design-Build (408 pages, $69.95) to help current
construction executives, those rising through the
ranks and those who work with them understand
the dynamics of a successful firm—whether it functions as a general contractor, specialty contractor,
design-builder, construction manager at-risk, agent,
program manager or any combination of these roles.
Coaching industry readers toward construction’s best practices, the book will assist in executive
decision-making and enhance firm performance in
a variety of everyday situations. Readers in other
roles can learn the key considerations construction
executives face and what to expect from best-inclass contractors—and those that don’t quite meet
such high standards. And thanks to its conversational tone, all readers will come away with a
deeper understanding of the factors that contribute
to the success or failure of particular firms.
The three main elements discussed in Profit,
Risk & Leadership: The Business of Construction &
Design-Build serve as the book’s organizing theme,
with profit being the motivation of a construction
business; risk, the inherent threats and challenges
to making a profit; and leadership, the behavior
that successful executives exhibit in building profit
and avoiding risk. While the book applies to all
project delivery models and all types of projects,
the book reserves the spotlight for design-build
projects exclusively. “Design-build has grown
dramatically in recent years and has become a
major and distinctive method of carrying out the
business of construction,” Porter writes. “Designbuild, when implemented according to its best
practices, epitomizes the innovative, collaborative approaches that are helping to transform the
industry in exciting ways.”
The book is not intended as a technical manual or guide to project management. Instead, it
addresses the overall strategy, management and
operation of U.S.-based firms of all sizes that must
mobilize talent to carry out construction. It offers
big-picture perspectives on business, factors to consider when making specific decisions, best practices
benchmarking guidelines from exceptional firms,
and strategies executives can use to transform
themselves from mere managers into true leaders.
Porter has been a leader in the design-build
industry for more than 30 years. He has served
as general counsel and vice president of Barton
Malow, a $1-billion national contractor; advised
firms on business strategy and risk management as
an independent consultant; taught graduate-level
construction management courses at Lawrence
Technological University and lectured at Virginia
Tech, Purdue University and California Polytechnic
State University (Cal Poly); and spoken for industry organizations such as DBIA, the Associated
General Contractors of America and the American
Bar Association. With the publication of Profit,
Risk & Leadership: The Business of Construction &
Design-Build, Porter again shares his considerable
knowledge in service of the design-build industry.
iAn P. MurPhy is senior eDitor oF DBiA’s iQ.
the quarterly publication of the design-build institute of america
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IQ Spring 2013
IQ Spring 2013
IQ Spring 2013 - (Page Cover1)
IQ Spring 2013 - (Page Cover2)
IQ Spring 2013 - (Page 1)
IQ Spring 2013 - (Page 2)
IQ Spring 2013 - (Page 3)
IQ Spring 2013 - (Page 4)
IQ Spring 2013 - (Page 5)
IQ Spring 2013 - (Page 6)
IQ Spring 2013 - (Page 7)
IQ Spring 2013 - (Page 8)
IQ Spring 2013 - (Page 9)
IQ Spring 2013 - (Page 10)
IQ Spring 2013 - (Page 11)
IQ Spring 2013 - (Page 12)
IQ Spring 2013 - (Page 13)
IQ Spring 2013 - (Page 14)
IQ Spring 2013 - (Page 15)
IQ Spring 2013 - (Page 16)
IQ Spring 2013 - (Page 17)
IQ Spring 2013 - (Page 18)
IQ Spring 2013 - (Page 19)
IQ Spring 2013 - (Page 20)
IQ Spring 2013 - (Page Cover3)
IQ Spring 2013 - (Page Cover4)
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