1. Recruitment & Retention
2. Mergers & Acquisitions
3. Health Care Benefits Costs
4. Profitability & Economics
5. Incentive Compensation
6. Growth & Expansion
7. Ownership Transition & Succession Planning
8. Training & Development
9. Offshoring & Globalization
10. Green Building & Sustainability

1. Recruitment & Retention
2. Mergers & Acquisitions
3. Health Care Benefits Costs
4. Profitability & Economics
5. Incentive Compensation
6. Growth & Expansion
7. Ownership Transition & Succession Planning
8. Training & Development
9. Offshoring & Globalization
10. Green Building & Sustainability

In the battle for supremacy in the industry, some firms are winning and some are losing.

What do the winners know?

Every firm in the A/E industry is facing the same issues and the most successful ones have figured out how to solve these problems, capitalize on opportunities other firms don’t see, and continue to grow and expand despite a difficult business environment. How do they do it? And what are the biggest challenges firms are facing? How are the most successful firms conquering these problems, and what are the best practices other firms can employ to turn these obstacles into opportunities? Solved: The 10 Biggest Issues Facing the A/E Industry answers these questions with a detailed overview of the 10 stickiest issues in the industry today and how firms can get around, get over, and get through them to emerge as more successful entities.

Ranging from human resources and expansion to profitability and innovation, Solved: The 10 Biggest Issues Facing the A/E Industry offers an insightful look at 10 of the most difficult problems firm leaders are grappling with and the solutions and best practices that ZweigWhite has identified to be most successful in solving them.

In a comprehensive overview format, Solved: The 10 Biggest Issues Facing the A/E Industry presents the most pressing issues firm leaders and up-and-comers need to be aware of to successfully grow their firms. In a quick-hit format that condenses the best ideas and solutions for each topic, firm leaders and soon-to-be principals will get a solid understanding of a range of important topics. You would have to spend hundreds— if not thousands— of dollars to get all the best practices contained in this one guide.

Every firm leader needs to understand what’s going on in the industry to be able to lead the firm successfully and Solved: The 10 Biggest Issues Facing the A/E Industry provides what every firm leader needs to know. Being aware of the most common obstacles to becoming a successful firm is the first step towards conquering these problems. Don’t get left behind. Let Solved: The 10 Biggest Issues Facing the A/E Industry show you the way!

• #1. Recruitment & Retention: Firm leaders consistently cite recruitment and retention as the number one challenge they are facing, and there doesn’t appear to be any relief in sight. Learn why the labor market continues to shrink and what you can do to find and keep the best people.
  
• #2. Mergers & Acquisitions: M&A activity in the industry has exploded and many firms now use M&A as a primary growth strategy. Learn about the whys, wheres, and what-fors that are driving this wave of change in the industry and how you can get in the game.
  
• #3. Health Care Benefits Costs: Every year for the past several, firm leaders have grappled with how to continue to provide adequate health care benefits to their workers, despite double-digit percentage cost increases from one year to the next. Learn what’s causing these staggering increases, how to control costs, and that there is in fact a silver lining for some firms.
  
• #4. Profitability & Economics: It seems the price of everything just continues to climb: labor, materials, marketing— everything, that is, except the price of your projects. Find out what’s driving these skyward trends and how you can cut costs and get more efficiency out of your staff while learning to price projects for better margins and increased profitability.
  
• #5. Incentive Compensation: Incentive compensation programs are a hot topic, as more and more firm leaders struggle to motivate, retain, and reward their best people. But putting together a fair and effective plan can be a lot harder than it seems. Learn about the various types of incentives successful firms are using and what to watch out for when creating or revamping an incentive compensation program.
  
• #6. Growth & Expansion: Every firm wants to be a Hot Firm, but how? Some look to expanding services or markets, some try acquiring other firms or opening branch offices, and others create ongoing, successful marketing and business development efforts that win new business and maintain clients. Learn what the best firms do to foster a culture of growth and expansion that translates into improved bottom-line performance no matter which path to growth you choose to take.
  
• #7. Ownership Transition/Succession Planning: As the baby boomer generation prepares to retire, many are beginning to realize they have no plan to transition ownership of their firms. Learn the basics of how to ready your firm for the passing of the torch.
  
• #8. Training & Development: Corporate universities and other forms of training and development are garnering new interest in the industry as a means of retaining good employees while increasing the capabilities of the firm. Learn about the most popular options and how some firms are using them to great success.
  
• #9. Offshoring/Globalization: The world continues to shrink and although it can be a controversial topic, offshoring is gaining popularity in the industry. Similarly, due to ever-improving technology and the trend towards a more global community, international expansion is now within reach for many mid-sized firms. Find out what the most successful firms do when offshoring work and how you can begin "going global."
  
• #10. Green Building/Sustainability: Green building practices and sustainable development are the wave of the future, and trend-setting firms are catching it early. Learn what sustainable practices could mean to your firm’s bottom line and how you can convince clients it’s time to "go green."