The management of clients’ strategic objectives using the JBCC principal building agreement: a case study

Abstract

Meeting the strategic objectives of construction clients is paramount in construction procurement for the project to be regarded as successful by the client. It is contended that the choice of contractual arrangement can act as a barrier to achieving these objectives. Through an analysis of the South African JBCC Principal Building Agreement, the authors explore how contractual arrangements can be a limitation to achieving the client’s
construction strategic objectives. The research methodology adopted for the research comprises a desktop analysis of the JBCC Principal Building
Agreement together with the analysis of a single case study to explore how the JBCC Principal Building Agreement addresses the client’s strategic
objectives in theory and in practice. The findings indicate that the Agreement neither makes provision to deal with the client’s strategic objectives nor are they met by its philosophy, structure, or parameters. It is concluded that construction clients who use the Agreement or its equivalent for the benefit of its convenience and familiarity should consider its adequacy to manage strategic objectives within the wider sense of the investment and business case of the construction project.