Construction management has two general meanings in the construction industry:

1. It is a field of study generally covering the managerial and technological aspects of the construction industry.
2. It is a type of project delivery system whereby a "construction management" company serves as a construction consultant (to the owner), providing both design (typically in the architect/engineer purview) and construction advice (typically in the construction company's purview).

Construction management: a field of study

According to the American Council for Construction Management (the academic accrediting body of construction management educational programs in the U.S.) the topical content can be roughly divided into the following:

1. General Business and Management
2. Construction Science
   • Material and methods management
   • Technical drawing
   • Construction Surveying
   • Analysis and Design of Construction Systems
3. Construction Management
   • Cost Management
   • Construction Estimating
   • Construction Safety
   • Construction Law
   • Project management

Construction management: a project delivery system

Typically, the construction industry includes three parties: an owner, a designer (called the architect/engineer), and the builder (called the contractor or constructor). Traditionally, these three parties work together to plan, design, and construct the project. In construction management, an additional party is engaged to act as an advisor to all three parties. The role of the construction manager is to provide construction advise to the designer (assuming that the designer needs such advice), and design advice to the constructor (again assuming the construction needs such advice). In addition, the construction manager may provide and purchase some of the materials, and some of the subcontracts.