Learning networks in construction procurement Available to Purchase

Procurement is of increasing strategic importance. For most products, competition at the point of sale is not simply between products and services on offer but between the often complex supply chains that bring them to market. Supply chain management has a critical role to play in improving overall performance in construction, but remains comparatively little used. Learning is now seen as a vital characteristic of competitive organisations with a growing emphasis on learning between organisations. Learning networks thus have an increasingly important role to play. They need a range of conditions to be met if they are to function effectively. The Construction Productivity Network (CPN) is a key learning network in the construction industry, focusing on the entire supply chain. It has been in operation since 1994 and it was developed and is managed by CIRIA. CPN operates as part of the Construction Best Practice Programme. It concentrates on the innovators and early adopters in the innovation diffusion pyramid and on the reflection and conceptualisation phases of the Kolb learning cycle. It meets most of the requirements of an effective learning network. The exception is active intervention over a defined period of time, although plans are currently being developed for ‘learning sets’ which will address this aspect of the learning network.