Smyth, HJ;
(2013)
“Green” or maturing? Environmental sustainability in marketing and business development amongst construction majors.
In:
Proceedings from 7th Nordic Conference on Construction Economics and Organisation 2013.
Akademika: Trondheim, Norway.
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Abstract
Perhaps international construction majors are “green” or maturing their green credentials and credibility. Thus, to what extent are major international contractors addressing environmental sustainability? The degree to which this is happening could be reasonably expected to be evident in marketing strategies and business development practices. Three possible options are examined: i) regulatory compliance, ii) alignment with best practice, iii) technical and service development to levels yielding competitive advantage. Four international construction majors are examined at several levels: a) amongst personnel with direct marketing and business development responsibilities, b) amongst other key functions that hold indirect marketing and business development roles in these respects, and c) the extent of effective vertical and cross-functional interfaces with marketing and business development. An inductive and qualitative case-based methodology and methods using semi-structured interviews was applied. The research found that international contracting majors are responders and followers to market drivers rather than proactive developers of technologies and services for injection into their projects to the benefit of clients and society. At a detailed level, marketing and business development proclaimed the “green” policies and practices, but these were largely framed around compliance and best practice rather than proactive development. This finding was supported in the hierarchy and cross-functionally with the result that the construction majors, which are leaders in the sector, have yet to add value in terms of environmental sustainability. In sum, they are “green” rather than maturing their green credentials and credibility.
| Type: | Proceedings paper |
|---|---|
| Title: | “Green” or maturing? Environmental sustainability in marketing and business development amongst construction majors |
| Event: | 7th Nordic Conference on Construction Economics and Organisation 2013 |
| Location: | Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim. |
| Dates: | 2013-06-12 - 2013-06-14 |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| Publisher version: | http://www.tapironline.no |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | Copyright © 2013 Akademika. The final publication is available at www.tapironline.no. Award for Best Paper at the 7th Nordic Conference on Construction Economics and Organisation 2013, evaluated by the CREON Board for the Conference and Sponsored by Statsbygg. |
| Keywords: | Business Development, Environmental Sustainability, Market Drivers, Marketing, Technical and Service Development |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of the Built Environment UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of the Built Environment > The Bartlett Sch of Const and Proj Mgt |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1401329 |
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