Successful Partnering: Fundamentals for Project Owners and Contractors

How to reap the enormous benefits of this dynamic new practice

SUCCESSFUL PARTNERING

Fundamentals for Project Owners and Contractors

In the tightly budgeted and competitive business environment of the 1990s, firms involved in construction projects can no longer (if they ever could) afford the suspicions, squabbles, and even litigation that have afflicted far too many projects. This enlightening book shows project owners, construction professionals, and others how to implement the recently developed practice of partnering as a more efficient, cost-effective, and far less stressful way of planning, organizing, and completing construction projects. Adopted by such organizations as the Army Corps of Engineers, its growing number of converts have reported fewer delays and lawsuits and other benefits, including a more cooperative and focused work atmosphere. With this new book—the only one of its kind currently available—practicing professionals will gain a solid understanding of the fundamentals of partnering and how to apply them to their construction projects.

Successful Partnering

It is a sad fact that as many as 70% of all construction projects will result in some kind of litigious action and this, in turn, will result in enormous losses of money, time, and energy for all parties involved. In the hope of avoiding this debilitating drain on resources, many construction-related firms have adopted the recently developed practice of partnering. In partnering, all participants work together and accept joint responsibility for the completion of a project. Successful Partnering shows you how to initiate and build partnering relationships in your projects, and how, with a united management agenda, a construction team can focus on problem solving instead of fault finding.

Written by two recognized authorities on partnering, this unique guide takes you through the process of partnering, giving you invaluable insights from the perspectives of principal participants. By examining the case studies and numerous examples that illuminate the text, you will learn from the inside what works and what doesn't, and how to maximize your chances of establishing a successful partnering relationship. Specifically, this book provides insights on such important issues as:
* Why partnering is becoming a rapidly growing practice in the construction industry and what the benefits are for owners, construction contractors, architects, engineers, and others
* How to lay the foundation for partnering: testing for good contracts, good teaming, and good partnering
* The fundamental principles and mechanics of partnering, including the roles of the facilitator and the trainer
* Legal aspects of partnering
* The personal and group dynamics of partnering and how they affect creative problem solving and efficiency

Successful Partnering is an indispensable guide to a practice that is revolutionizing the way construction projects are being organized and completed. Written for all those involved in the complex work of construction—engineering, design, and construction managers; as well as lawyers, accountants, and suppliers, Successful Partnering is a lucid introduction to an important new development in construction management.

How to reap the enormous benefits of this dynamic new practice

SUCCESSFUL PARTNERING

Fundamentals for Project Owners and Contractors

In the tightly budgeted and competitive business environment of the 1990s, firms involved in construction projects can no longer (if they ever could) afford the suspicions, squabbles, and even litigation that have afflicted far too many projects. This enlightening book shows project owners, construction professionals, and others how to implement the recently developed practice of partnering as a more efficient, cost-effective, and far less stressful way of planning, organizing, and completing construction projects. Adopted by such organizations as the Army Corps of Engineers, its growing number of converts have reported fewer delays and lawsuits and other benefits, including a more cooperative and focused work atmosphere. With this new book—the only one of its kind currently available—practicing professionals will gain a solid understanding of the fundamentals of partnering and how to apply them to their construction projects.

Successful Partnering

It is a sad fact that as many as 70% of all construction projects will result in some kind of litigious action and this, in turn, will result in enormous losses of money, time, and energy for all parties involved. In the hope of avoiding this debilitating drain on resources, many construction-related firms have adopted the recently developed practice of partnering. In partnering, all participants work together and accept joint responsibility for the completion of a project. Successful Partnering shows you how to initiate and build partneringrelationships in your projects, and how, with a united management agenda, a construction team can focus on problem solving instead of fault finding.

Written by two recognized authorities on partnering, this unique guide takes you through the process of partnering, giving you invaluable insights from the perspectives of principal participants. By examining the case studies and numerous examples that illuminate the text, you will learn from the inside what works and what doesn't, and how to maximize your chances of establishing a successful partnering relationship. Specifically, this book provides insights on such important issues as:
* Why partnering is becoming a rapidly growing practice in the construction industry and what the benefits are for owners, construction contractors, architects, engineers, and others
* How to lay the foundation for partnering: testing for good contracts, good teaming, and good partnering
* The fundamental principles and mechanics of partnering, including the roles of the facilitator and the trainer
* Legal aspects of partnering
* The personal and group dynamics of partnering and how they affect creative problem solving and efficiency


Successful Partnering is an indispensable guide to a practice that is revolutionizing the way construction projects are being organized and completed. Written for all those involved in the complex work of construction—engineering, design, and construction managers; as well as lawyers, accountants, and suppliers, Successful Partnering is a lucid introduction to an important new development in construction management.

HENRY J. SCHULTZEL, CPA, CMC, is Partner in Charge and Chairman of the Engineering and Construction Consulting Practice of Coopers & Lybrand LLP. For over 27 years, Mr. Schultzel has worked extensively with many major engineering and construction firms, directing numerous large-scale engagements both in the U.S. and abroad. He has successfully implemented the concepts of partnering to achieve optimal performance in a broad range of industries. Mr. Schultzel studied engineering, accounting, and law. He is a licensed certified public accountant in California, New York, and Louisiana and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the California and New York State Societies of Certified Public Accountants, and the Institute of Management Consultants.

V. PAUL UNRUH, CPA, is Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Treasurer of the Bechtel Group, Inc., the Bechtel Capital Management Corporation, and the principal operating companies of the Bechtel Group. Since joining Bechtel in 1978, Mr. Unruh has served in a leadership role in several key initiatives supporting Bechtel's fundamental business strategies. Mr. Unruh is a licensed certified public accountant in California and North Dakota and a member of the Financial Executives Institute, the Association for Systems Management, the Society of International Treasurers, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and the California and North Dakota Societies of Certified Public Accountants.