Competitive tendering and individual behaviour in the contruction industry: convenient immorality at work

Abstract

How and why does the construction industry persist with competitive tendering as the dominant procurement model? This is a constructivist grounded theory view of construction industry procurement in New Zealand, explaining how industry actors have to behave. Convenient Immorality is a shared and accepted response by individuals intended to facilitate business outcomes within an environment of intense competition, driven by opportunism and asymmetric power relationships. Low trust due to Convenient Immorality behaviours will continue to frustrate attempts to replace competitive tendering as the dominant model for construction industry procurement.