Foreword This is the second title in a series which is aimed at giving access as widely as possible to the results of our research into construction business management. We wish to express our gratitude to Gabler to have put their faith in us. Christoph Winter, who was the first research assistant to join the newly created chair, combines knowledge and practical experience of Anglo-Saxon construction management with awareness of the German construction environment. The Anglo­ Saxon countries have not experienced a period of reconstruction, as has occurred after the reunification of Germany, and have thus experienced life-threatening competition much earlier. Contractors in offering producer-led and collaborative procurement have developed instruments to strengthen their competitive position. These are the thoughts that this work now introduces into Germany. As a true compendium this work is not only directed upstream at the client, but also downstream, adopting a resource orientated look at integrating subcontractors and other suppliers most effectively into the supply chain, in order to facilitate contractor-led procurement in the first place, despite the difficulties of seasonal one-off and prototype production at ever changing locations. Midstream relationships in form of collaborative working or partnering are being considered as well.