Empowering the construction project team

Abstract Theoretical concepts from the literature on organisational power are used to analyse project organisations in the construction industry which result from the adoption of different project management approaches. Two procurement paths, traditional and construction management, are compared in terms of the power bases and processes used by the project manager. It is postulated that legitimate power is weak in both cases, resulting in a power gap between the power that is given under the contract and the power needed to ensure action. The power gap is bridged under the traditional system by a sophisticated system of exchange and reciprocity using a range of ‘currencies’ which are valued by the parties. The more egalitarian atmosphere of the construction management project organisation encourages the greater use of expertise and charisma as power bases to bridge the power gap, coupled with the modern management concept of empowerment of all the parties involved, especially the newly-named specialist trades contractors. The implications of this theory of power and procurement paths for clients, project managers, project teams and researchers is hypothesised.