Coordinator(s)
- Stephen Ogunlana, Heriot-Watt University, UK
- Wellington Didibhuku Thwala, University of South Africa
Objectives and Scopes
The aim of this Commission is to study and effectively disseminate the possible ways and means by which the construction industry of developing countries can be continuously improved to enable them to fulfill the tasks required of them in the nations’ drive to achieve social and economic progress.
The objectives of the Commission are:
- to undertake research into areas relating to the construction industry in developing countries, in order to understand its nature, strengths, weaknesses and needs and possible improvement measures.
- to disseminate useful research findings and best practices and monitor and facilitate their implementation
- to provide a forum for the exchange of experiences and information among construction researchers and administrators in developing countries
- to serve as a link between construction researchers and administrators in developing countries and their counterparts in industrialized countries, as well as international agencies involved in the field of construction industry development.
Current Work Programme
The following special subject areas will provide a focus for the Commission’s activities:
- poverty alleviation through construction
- sustainable construction in the context of developing countries
- implications of privatization for construction enterprises and practitioners in developing countries
- merits of a central agency for managing construction industry development in developing countries
- implications of globalization for local enterprises in developing countries
- application of information technology in construction in developing countries
- appropriate construction management and economics techniques for developing countries.
The Commission aims to launch international research projects on the following topics and will seek to attract external funds for such projects:
- information technology and its implications for, and applications in, construction in developing countries (in collaboration with CIB W078 on Information Technology in Construction)
- work opportunities for local construction firms
- new business techniques – their relevance to, implications for, and possible application in, construction in developing countries (in line with CIB pro-active programme on Business Process Re-engineering)
- sustainable construction in developing countries (in collaboration with the various CIB Commissions on Sustainable Construction)
- the knowledge-based economy and construction industries in developing countries
- the informal sector of construction industries in developing countries.
The Commission will continue to advance the global body of knowledge and maintain its role as the source of authoritative research outputs on construction industries in developing countries.
Planned Output
Proceedings from conferences
External Relations
- The Commission aims for establishing links with international agencies involved or interested in construction industry development, such as the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements.
- The Commission has a relationship with the CIB Encouraged Journal “Construction in Developing Countries”.
Membership
Members of this Working Commission have to be either a Representative of a CIB member organization or an Individual CIB Member.
Status
The Commission was established in September 2001 as the successor of the former CIB Task Group TG29 on Construction in Developing Countries.