A Golden Future emerges from cooperation between a British university and a major Chinese company. They aim to develop healthcare using implants to monitor patients' bodily functions and set up factories to manufacture buildings of real architectural quality. The professors and PhD students involved face major questions.Who should decide how universities are run: vice chancellors, government, local communities, professors, students or commercial organizations willing to fund research?Who should decide how healthcare is provided: doctors, patients, government, the media, drug companies or medical insurance companies?As the building industry becomes more industrialised, can it create real architecture?Should religious organizations concentrate on promoting the spiritual values which shape people's behaviour?Running through all these questions is the key issue of whether competition or cooperation delivers better and more equitable outcomes for everyone.

Author Biography

John Bennett had a successful career in the construction industry before becoming a professor at the University of Reading. His research centre published many influential reports, including Investing in Building 2001 endorsed by Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher; and Trusting the Team which still influences international construction. He has undertaken research in the USA, Japan, Australia and the EU. He was founding editor of the leading academic journal Construction Management and Economics. Between 1985 and 2012 he wrote four influential books describing the current theory and best practice of construction management including Construction - The Third Way. He is married, has a son and daughter and five lively grandchildren who keep him in touch with today's teenagers. He enjoys watching sport, having played cricket and badminton at top club level for many years. Since he retired, he has turned to writing novels; A Golden Future is the first.