Paul Chan & Rachel Cooper 
Constructing Futures 
Industry leaders and futures thinking in construction

There is growing interest in future scenario planning of the
construction industry but a disconnect between thinking about the
future at the policy-making level and implementing real change.

Constructing Futures: industry leaders and futures thinking
in construction takes a thematic approach to the future of the
UK construction industry by presenting the results of a series of
in-depth interviews conducted with leading construction figures and
structuring this material into chapters addressing the key
contemporary issues in the industry.

These high-profile figures are drawn from a wide range of
stakeholder groups representing the realities of construction,
including architects, client organisations (public-sector and
private-sector), consultants, contractors, developers, lobby groups
with special interests, policy makers, professional institutions,
and trade unions.

A total of 15 influential figures were interviewed for the book,
from Sir Michael Latham and Bob White to Wayne Hemmingway and Kevin
Mc Cloud.

Part One looks to the past by reviewing a series of foresight
studies undertaken of the construction industry and re-presenting
stories of our interviewees’ lives to explain the development of
leadership in the context of the construction industry. In Part
Two, the authors look at the present and discuss two fundamental
issues: sustainable development and governance of the construction
industry. In Part Three the book concludes with an afterthought for
the future, highlighting key lessons learnt putting forward a
series of research questions derived from this scholarly reflection
of ‘futures thinking’ in construction.

Throughout, the authors juxtapose the views of the 15
influential figures interviewed with a review of the salient points
found in the relevant and authoritative sources of theoretical
literature, both in the mainstream literature and the field of
construction management. This allows the reader to benefit from the
practical insights of those interviews whilst gaining a rapid
understanding of the key debates of the theoretical subject under
scrutiny.

About the author

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Paul Chan, Lecturer in Project Management, School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, University of Manchester, UK

Rachel Cooper, Professor of Design Management, Lancaster Institute for the Contemporary Arts, University of Lancaster, UK