An Empirical Investigation of Strategic Planning in QS Practices

The benefit of engaging in strategic planning has been well documented over several decades of strategic management research. Despite the significant body of existing knowledge in the field, there remains a limited collection of empirically tested research pertaining to strategic planning within professional service firms (PSFs) in construction, particularly from an Irish context. The research is an exploratory study involving in-depth, semi-structured interviews and a widespread survey of Quantity Surveying (QS) practices in Ireland. The aim of the research is to ascertain the extent of strategic planning undertaken within Irish QS practices, and to gain an insight into the characteristics of the strategic planning process therein. The findings show that the strategic planning process varies within QS practices and is correlated to practice size and ownership structure. Despite the absence of a systematic process in smaller QS practices, evidence suggests that principals are thinking and acting strategically. They confirm that a more systematic strategic planning process is beginning to emerge, particularly in light of the severity of the current economic and construction sector downturn in Ireland. This paper draws on existing literature in the field, as well as research findings to propose a strategic planning process model for PSFs within construction.