A needs based methodology for classifying construction clients and selecting contractors-a rejoinder

Our original article (Chinyio et al., 1998a) 'A needs based methodology for classifying construction clients and selecting contractors', Construction Management and Economics, 16 (1), 91-98 discussed the empirical classification of construction clients and illustrated a new methodology for selecting contractors. The techniques we adopted have not been applied in a construction scenario before and thus their implementation may face teething difficulties as differences between construction and the disciplines from which the techniques were adopted are ironed out. Due to brevity we did not highlight some of the potential problems their implementation would encounter, as we could not explain everything on the subject matters in one article. Skitmore and Mills (1999) in a comment, Construction Management and Economics, 17 (1), 5-7, highlighted some anticipated difficulties and posed some insightful questions concerning the applicability of our concepts. From an optimistic perspective we have addressed most of the sundry issues raised by Skitmore and Mills wherein 'Decision Analysis' was reviewed as a basis for responding to the comments.