Abstract

A research project has been carried out with the general objective of proposing a generic application methodology of supply chain management (SCM) to the construction sector by adapting the manufacturing SCM experience and development to the particular characteristics of construction. As part of this research, a survey was carried out to more than 50 companies that participate in the construction sector. The purpose of this survey was to obtain a diagnosis about the current situation of the supply chain in the Chilean construction industry. The paper presents the main results of the survey and highlights the problems and restrictions that exist in the local construction supply chains as well as their main causes. Also, a set of solutions is suggested to address the identified problems and improve the supply chain performance. By using the data obtained from the survey and the knowledge available in the literature, the paper proposes a framework for implementing the concepts and principles of supply chain management in construction companies and, in this way, to take advantage of the benefits that SCM can provide. One of the principal conclusions of the paper is that the application of SCM in the local construction sector will require the introduction of several changes in the way that participants of the supply chain interact currently. Some of these changes are analyzed and discussed.