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The Successive Principle documented the positive effect of innovative pre-tender planning
Following an earthquake in North Africa a Danish contracting company entered an international competition for reconstruction works. This part of the reconstruction programme was to deliver 1000 single-family houses ready for occupancy before the winter: an extremely tight deadline with heavy daily penalties for overruns.
The company formulated a really innovative plan for this rush job. This included the idea of an informal competition between the company's junior sub-contractors, each of whom had to erect 100 houses. A deputy project manager was appointed, a project newsletter produced and sent to the families at home and to others concerned, distinctive T shirts were designed for local employees and many other initiatives were introduced.
With the help of the Successive Principle, the company was confident that, even allowing a margin for unforeseen delays, it could meet the tight deadline with the new, imaginative measures. The tender was therefore able to exclude an allowance for penalties for overruns. By virtue of its resourcefulness and competitiveness, underpinned by facts and figures substantiating its creative claim, the company was awarded the contract and, as promised, met the deadline – in spite of being the only company involved to do so.
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About Dr. Steen Lichtenberg