Abstract/Summary

Despite the phenomenal growth of the Chinese construction sector there is a notable absence of practice-based research relating to bidding and tendering. The broader context is provided by the introduction of marketization through a series of policy announcements dating back to the 1980s. A sensemaking perspective is adopted as a means of bridging between macro-level policy announcements and micro-processes of bidding and tendering. The selected case study is a large state-owned construction enterprise in the Chongqing city region in South West China. A mixed-methods approach includes semi-structured interviews with senior practitioners and documentary analysis. The findings illustrate how the introduction of bidding and tendering has resulted in a complex plethora of hybrid practices. The pace of change is such that the construction sector in the People's Republic of China is best understood in terms of continuous adjustment to an ever-changing landscape. Hence it requires research approaches which privilege change over stability.