THE AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF


 

The Australian Journal of Construction Economics & Building Page (i) 

EDITORIAL 
 

 
Once again it’s a pleasure to commend an edition of the Australian Journal of Construction 
Economics and Building. This, second edition in year 2001, marks a successful first year for 
the journal, and if this edition receives the same type of feedback as did the first, then we will 
be well pleased with it’s reception. The balance between the professions has been 
comfortably maintained, and provides what we believe is a wide breadth of interest to 
readers. 
 
The content on this occasion,  maintains a healthy international focus, yet has a healthy 
selection on Australian themes. The paper by Ai-Lin and Runeson on the subject of market 
differentiation is particularly recommended with its’ theme of minimising risk by diversification 
into new markets being particularly timely given the state of the current economic cycle. 
 
Since the appearance of the first edition of the AJCEB, our perception of the world and the 
risks that we run in everyday life has altered substantially with the occurrences in New York 
City on September 11

th
 of this year. Much of our concept of values and risk in everyday life is 

based on the assumption that things will remain substantially similar to the way we find them 
now. Indeed the professions that we serve tend to assume that risks traditionally associated 
with the construction, operation and maintenance of built facilities are constant and 
predictable. We now face an epoch in which even such a simple underlying principal may be 
called into question. This could create a revolution in our professional lives. The papers in 
this edition of the journal have been produced in the lead-up to the terrorist attacks in the 
United States. I imagine that in the editions during the coming year, potential authors may 
well consider the changed landscape that we may now be working in. Whilst the headline-
grabbing outrages are visible it is clear that we are vulnerable in many more subtle ways as 
well, and that disaffected people have discovered that it is easier to destroy than it is to build. 
Much of the world is now considering whether it is possible to change our philosophy of 
building, and whether we should now pay a higher price so as to give our societies a little 
more certainty about the lifestyles we have adopted. It would appear timely for us to consider 
the implications, both in Australia, and worldwide. 
 
The editorship of the journal will rotate amongst the Universities in Australia, and I am 
pleased to announce that from January, Associate Professor Craig Langston of the 
University of Technology Sydney will become editor in chief for a period of twelve months. 
There will again be two editions during the coming year. It merely remains for me to offer 
thanks to everyone who has been concerned with bringing the journal into being, especially 
to Maureen Everett who has regularly performed wonderful charettes that have turned all of 
our good intentions into finished articles. 
 
 
Alan Jeary 
Editor-in-Chief 
December 2001 
 

 
The Australian Journal of Construction Economics and Building 

ISSN 1445-2634 
First issued August 2001