Navigating Trends Thomas C Schleifer, Ph.D. I love this quote from a contractor who offered feedback on last week’s blog. “If we can’t do anything about trends, what are we supposed to do?” You have to love that. It reeks of the frustration that we contractors feel...
What a Crazy Business Thomas C Schleifer, Ph.D. In this year’s opening blog series, we have been discussing the elevated risk level caused by COVID induced cost inflation, labor shortages, supply chain snags, and a potential recession that may result from the Fed’s...
CFOs Tackle Supply Chain Thomas C Schleifer, Ph.D. Welcome to 2023. The turning of the calendar page is an artifice that has taken on unrealistic significance. We’re all happy 2022 is over and believe that 2023 will be a “new year”. In business, that of course is...
IF Thomas C Schleifer, Ph.D. It is somehow comforting when other experts confirm your view of the world. Just this week in Engineering News Record: ENR October 12, 2022 Construction Wages Grow at Fastest Rate in Decades Despite Recession Threat By James Leggate...
Risk Encounter Project risk in construction is defined in basic terms as unplanned cost or schedule changes that crop up during a construction project. Unplanned cost and schedule changes are ubiquitous in construction and have led to a universally negative...
Risk is Not a Dirty Word Over the last thirty years I have conducted literally hundreds of seminars with construction professionals covering an array of issues concerning the business of contracting. Along the way I have noticed that whenever I bring up risk, the...