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Understanding the diffusion and application of new management ideas in construction
Abstract
Recent interest in the UK construction sector in innovative management practices such as partnering, continuous improvement and benchmarking have raised long-standing questions about the transferability of new management ideas from other industrial sectors into construction. Informed in part by the author's own research into partnering in the UK, this paper sets out to explore the problems of transferring and applying new management ideas to the construction industry. However, rather than simply restricting the discussion to the perennial (and perhaps unanswerable) question of whether or not the construction industry actually is different, this paper goes much further by examining the nature of knowledge diffusion and application processes. Three main themes are highlighted and their implications assessed. First, the many inherent problems and limitations associated with relying on models of ‘best practice’ drawn from other industrial sectors. Second, the highly socialized and politicized nature of supposedly rational processes of knowledge diffusion and implementation. Third, the impact that institutional factors have on the diffusion and application of knowledge via the creation of particular industry agendas and frames of reference.
... To increase performance, researchers such as Bresnen and Marshall (2001) describe that construction management has adopted different specializations by, for instance, implementing lean production, benchmarking techniques and total quality management. Many of these take influence from the manufacturing industry, which has highly standardised, controlled processes that enable for measurements (Bresnen and Marshall, 2001). ...
... To increase performance, researchers such as Bresnen and Marshall (2001) describe that construction management has adopted different specializations by, for instance, implementing lean production, benchmarking techniques and total quality management. Many of these take influence from the manufacturing industry, which has highly standardised, controlled processes that enable for measurements (Bresnen and Marshall, 2001). Yet, measuring productivity is still not a well-established practice among companies in the Swedish house-building industries. ...
... Secondly, the different contexts of each construction project give unfair results if comparing the TFP between different projects. CLP/ALP and TFP can be used for comparing performance (benchmarking) between projects, organizations and industries (Bresnen and Marshall, 2001). A common measure of inputs is key performance indicators (KPIs). ...
The need for improved productivity in construction, and the continuous tendency of lagging behind manufacturing industries in this respect, is a longstanding theme in the general debate in Sweden. However, there is a lack of consensus in how to understand and measure productivity, as well as in how to assess and compare productivity properly over time, between tasks, projects, companies and industries. This paper presents initial findings from the first step of an ongoing R&D study. The purpose of the R&D study is to develop frameworks for comparisons between productivity in different projects and suggest how these can be used for operational development. In this first step and by lending from two concepts proposed for measuring productivity at different levels in construction, understandings of productivity are identified and problematized together with findings collected during a one-day project-initiation workshop. Results indicate that different stakeholders understand productivity differently and have separate purposes for measuring productivity. The findings also point out that measuring productivity does not seem to be common practice in house-building companies. Furthermore, to measure productivity in ways that allows for relevant comparing of performance between sub-processes and projects seems especially problematic. Findings suggest that further research on how one can tackle differences between house-building projects is needed to understand better how to enable for assessments and comparisons of progress both in and between house-building sub-processes and projects. In addition, further investigation is required to understand how and where to set boundaries for productivity measurement frameworks to enable for meaningful measures without hampering value-adding activities.
... Many innovations go unnoticed by construction industry practitioners with few innovations penetrating its resistive culture, even after being successful applied in other industries (e.g. (Oglesby et al. 1989;Bresnen and Marshall 2001;Gann 2001;dos Santos et al. 2002). ...
... As discussed in section 2.6.2 (Cohen and Levinthal 1990;Bresnen and Marshall 2001;Gann 2001; dos Santos et al. ...
... A gap between research and practice (Cohen and Levinthal 1990;Bresnen and Marshall 2001;Gann 2001;dos Santos et al. 2002) Feedback to external sources of innovation (Cohen and Levinthal 1990;Bresnen and Marshall 2001;Gann 2001;dos Santos et al. 2002) ...
... One reason for this is the BEYOND 2020 -World Sustainable Built Environment conference IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 588 (2020) 022007 IOP Publishing doi: 10.1088/1755-1315/588/2/022007 2 voluntary nature of LCA [5]. Also, a shortage of data, money, ability and time hinders the effective use of LCA in building [4,6,7]. ...
... A processual perspective to building LCA focusses on what happens when LCA is used during a building project. In studies of construction management, a processual perspective is used regularly to explain change [9,10]. To our knowledge, no studies exist that take a processual perspective to LCA in the building project. ...
Environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) witnesses increasing popularity in the built environment. LCA stimulates among others an efficient use of natural resources and a reduction of carbon emissions through quantification of material and energy inputs and emissions in the building life cycle. Thereby, LCA aspires to contribute to SDG12 on ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns. Despite high ambitions, the actual influence of LCA in construction projects is often modest. The mere application of LCA methodology in a building project is insufficient to produce a more environmentally friendly building. To better understand the practical conditions under which an LCA may induce change in a building project, we propose to analyse the use of LCA from a processual perspective. This paper presents a case study of a building product development project in which a processual perspective is applied on LCA. Using a longitudinal ethnographic methodology, key actors are followed through environmentally relevant episodes as the building project matures. A progressive LCA quantifies the potential environmental impact of the project as it progresses through different stages of the building process. Based on the learnings from this study, recommendations are presented to support the effective use of LCA in sustainable building practices, and contribute to SDG12 on sustainable consumption and production patterns.
... The later denotes the segmentation of an organization into different subsystems due to varying requirements and behavior of people (Lawrence and Lorsch 1967). Fragmentation goes beyond differentiation to include poor coordination, collaboration, integration, and communication in projects (Bresnen and Marshall 2001;Xue et al. 2005). It includes also diversity of specializations or functional disciplines and boundaries within projects (Demaid and Quintas 2006;Love et al. 2004b). ...
... Construction projects usually encompass diverse disciplines or professions, which may influence knowledge sharing process (Ratcheva 2009). In fact, diversity is not a problem per se, but the team's inability to work together effectively is the problem (Bresnen and Marshall 2001). Ineffective working between various professions can be referred as 'decoupling of diversity'. ...
Fragmentation is a well-known problem in the construction field; however, the literature shows a lack of a precise definition and appropriate measurement of this notion. The purpose of this paper is to determine indicators of fragmentation in construction projects using a second-order formative measurement model. The data were collected using a questionnaire survey from big building projects in Malaysia. Three procedures were used to analyze the data. First, we used principal component analysis (PCA) to determine fragmentation constructs and develop the hierarchical model. Second, partial least squares-path modeling (PLS-PM) was conducted to analyze the hierarchical model and validate the constructs. Lastly, a multicollinearity test was performed to validate the formative variables. The results indicated four new constructs of fragmentation, namely: integration, spanning knowledge across boundaries, barriers, and decoupling of diversity. This paper contributes to the development of a new definition of fragmentation and shows how it can be measured empirically. The new model paves the way to determine fragmentation's influence on other factors and the development of its theory in construction projects. The influence of fragmentation on project performance, for instance, can now be determined more accurately using this model.
... Notably, many studies on construction project organizations embrace the network viewpoint. Prior to the emergence of network analysis techniques, theoretical studies on networks within construction project organizations [34,35] and basic data analysis studies [36,37] were predominant. Over the recent years, studies, along with the development of network analysis, have extended to an analysis of the collaborative relationships among construction companies [38], the development of an information transmission model within the project organization [39], an analysis of the structure of the project organization [40], and collaborative innovation processes [41]. ...
Despite the significant influence of organizational elements on the performance of construction projects, these elements are regarded as fixed, or reflected in an implicit manner, in current project management techniques. This study investigated how the organizational dynamics formed within a project organization based on complexity theory are described, and how organizational factors affect project performance during a construction project. It also presented agent-based simulation (ABS) as a means to understand organizational dynamics in construction project organizations. The author found that manager optimism bias toward organizational factors leads to unrealistic project planning and execution, ultimately having negative effects on project performance, and that developing ABS could enhance the understanding of the organizational aspect in the construction management process. This study is significant, as it enhances the understanding of the organizational aspect of a construction project, and presents a new direction for reflecting the organizational aspect in the project management process.
... Compared to positivist research, it is a suitable method for researchers interested in developing practically relevant and theoretically interesting research involving the interplay of humans, technology, information, and social-cultural contexts [55]. Action research is also appropriate when studying the adaptation of new approaches or practices to empirical circumstances [56,57]. In action research, the researcher actively takes part in the diagnosis of a problem and the development of a solution [58]. ...
The coronavirus outbreak forced design companies to consider how the flow of information and work processes could be managed in the context of remote design work. This research aims to put a digital Last Planner System (LPS) whiteboard to the test in support of remote collaborative design process planning and control and identify its benefits and challenges. The synergies between lean and digital practices were explored by developing solutions in two different case studies, one in the UK and the other in Estonia. Research results were interpreted, and the main lessons learned were articulated. The digital LPS whiteboard enabled and supported the remote planning and control of design projects and processes. The digital LPS whiteboard had the following process-related benefits, including, for example, increased transparency, understanding, engagement, flexibility, and continuous improvement. Challenges in the use of the digital whiteboard were generally due to an excess of information and meetings, the social limitations of virtual meetings, and a lack of relevant IT competencies. Recommendations for individuals interested in planning, developing, and testing a
digital whiteboard for remote implementation of the LPS are made. Further research on the entangled nature of digital whiteboard functionality and LPS behaviours is needed.
... The improvement agenda in UK construction sector has included visions of partnering, supply chain management and a lean philosophy, all of which were imported from other sectors such as aerospace and manufacturing (Bresnen and Marshall, 2001) and tested in infrastructure megaprojects. This confirms research that finds that the construction industry has a tradition of importing and not producing technological innovations (Pavitt, 1984). ...
Innovation refers to the development of a new product, service or process (Abernathy and Clark, 1985). Novelty and innovations are often observed in projects (Shenhar and Dvir, 2007). Innovations are highly context-dependent and rely on good projects (Shenhar and Dvir, 2007). Infrastructure megaprojects have a particularly close relationship with innovation (Davies et al., 2009). This relation between innovation and its context, such as infrastructure megaprojects. is important for understanding innovation. Digital innovation is differentiated from other innovations as it is highly pervasive and systemic (Egyedi and Sherif, 2008). This chapter increases our understanding of digital innovation and its relation to institutional contexts, especially infrastructure megaprojects. Focusing on the relation between digital innovation and infrastructure megaprojects, such as London Heathrow and Crossrail (Davies et al., 2009; Dodgson et al., 2015), shows how these infrastructure megaprojects influenced institutions through standardisation to promote digital innovation.
... Organizational practices, such as achieving strategic convergence, can be understood as symbolic manipulation being combined with persuasive rhetoric, and there is a need for investigating such phenomena in the context of megaprojects (Bresnen & Marshall, 2001;Ninan et al., 2019). We argue that in spite of the importance of narratives in achieving strategic convergence of objectives in megaprojects and thereby external stakeholder management, the practice of mobilizing narratives in the context of megaprojects are yet to be explored. ...
Megaprojects combine multiple external stakeholders, and a common narrative is essential to drive the project among often conflicting objectives. Narratives help organize people toward an agenda and therefore have performative and strategic implications. In this research, we explore how narratives are mobilized through narrative instruments and processes using the case study of the High Speed Two (HS2) megaproject in the United Kingdom. We record the use of three instruments—stories, labels, and comparisons—that undergo four processes: repeating, endorsing, humorizing, and actioning. These instruments and processes enable megaprojects to mobilize a narrative that helps in managing external stakeholders.
... This transformation increases uncontrolled consequences on the desired performance because the literature shows that "the search for best practice can often lead to a tendency to discount or ignore some of the inherent problems and limitations of new approaches or the conditions necessary for their effective application". 36 Then, existing efficient TM have limitations on the fact that they ignore the existence of interconnected steps as well as contextual factors and actors changes in the transfer process. On our view, TM should go beyond by integrating mechanisms of action focussing on stakeholders' interactions during the transfer process to overcome existing performance paradox. ...
Managerial practices are widely held to be a vital component of efficient organizations, especially in public services where they are being transferred for the last decades. From a performance perspective, health systems of many developing countries were inspired by multiple existing transfer models to introduce these managerial practices according to new public management orientations. However, the used transfer models seem to ignore some action mechanisms as important aspects of this process. This paper aims at presenting the state of the art in transfer models of managerial practices in health systems. Ten main transfer models related to the research theme were identified. We organized the review around a number of questions that are raised explicitly or implicitly by the literature and observation on transfer models. The full implication became clear after using selected transfer models to answer to those questions. We found that existing transfer models highlighted key roles played by different actors involved and the importance of contextual factors in transfer processes. These transfer models lead to failure or success either in the same or in different settings. However, we realized that these transfer models ignore taking into account interactions which exist in transfer processes as well as the evolution of key actors and changes in contextual factors. There is a need to create new models for efficient transfer of managerial practices in health systems. We propose to develop, test, and discuss new transfer models that consider changes in transfer process and where interactions are highlighted in the perspective of performance improvement.
... Diffusion is the process by which an innovation is communicated through certain channels over time among the members of a social system (Rogers 1995(Rogers , 2003. Diffusion is also defined as the process in which technological innovation and managerial innovation have been introduced into work processes and adopted by a specific group or across the whole organization (Green and Hevner, 2000;Bresnen and Marshall, 2001) According to Koebel, (1999Koebel, ( , 2008 diffusion involves communicating a new idea to the target adopters. According to Rogers (1995), it's a special type of communication, in that the messages are concerned with new ideas. ...
Knowledge transfer and management in organizations throughout the world is a competitive advantage. It is what the organization knows, how it uses what it knows and how fast it can discover something new, be it in the acquisition of technology for innovation, or business activities development, studies have been undertaken in this area to examine knowledge transfer and management process in the organisation. But little is known about the effectiveness of knowledge transfer by construction companies to the project host communities. Therefore, this paper builds on existing concepts of knowledge transfer and diffusion of new ideas and offers a conceptual framework of knowledge transfer and its diffusion from the construction industry to the project host community. The conceptual framework identifies stages of Knowledge conversion and diffusion and factors that are expected to enable the transfer process at different stages. The framework also shows the inter-relation between Knowledge transfer and diffusion by combining the theory of Nonaka & Takeuchi on knowledge creation and sharing with Everett Rogers’s innovation-decision theory. It also introduces transformation in the middle which means that after a new knowledge has been transferred and diffused there must be a transformation in the adopting or receiving unit. This has been achieved by first, reviewing and discussing theories relating to diffusion of a new idea (NI) and knowledge transfer (KT). Secondly, the paper evaluates the interrelation between knowledge transfer and diffusion of new ideas. Thirdly, it establishes a connection between knowledge transfer and diffusion of new ideas. Finally, it brings the latter in the context of the construction industry. This paper has demonstrated that a construction firm that is able to create and improve its Knowledgebase and transfer such new Knowledge to the community in which it finds itself, would have much collaboration and a peaceful atmosphere to carry out its corporate goals or complete its project within schedule.
... Thus, construction projects are by their nature complex, both for the phases that characterize them as well as the combination of enterprises and private individuals, according to inter-firm agreements that are seldom replicated, which are more suited to a single project. This excludes any form of repetition and routinization achieved in other industries [39]. In addition, activities involving new building structures take the form of particularly wide-ranging measures, which require a large amount of investment [40]. ...
According to the idea of safety structures as systemic, we developed a framework that emphasizes how the engagement of all relevant social agents could play an active role in the whole safety performance. The hypothesis of this paper is that a systemic approach should imply a precise shift of perspective from a unit of analysis embedded in a general environment, with mutual effects on a given safety performance, to a general analysis of a system where interdependent agents affect system performance. Through the lens of organizational field theory, safety performance is intended as the sum of the activities of multi-agents oriented by normative and cultural principles set out at the societal level, specifically within the urban area boundaries. In doing so, the analysis describes the key agents and their activities according to four different safety stages: Prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery. Institutional logics, distinguished as formal and informal, help to explain the behaviors and connections among agents. With the idea that a locally placed, organizational field reflects its peculiarity, we used four Italian towns located in two different areas of Campania, which live under the constant risk of a volcanic eruption, as examples. The results show how safety structures systems are contextual, characterized by locally embedded formal and informal rules, but not necessarily mutually aimed at orienting key agents to improve the safety performance. This contribution aims to support empirical analyses, natural experiments as well as qualitative studies to compare urban areas designed as safety-organizational fields from a multidisciplinary perspective. At the same time, we indicate some policy suggestions by emphasizing differences among organizational fields.
... Fragmentation of the industry implies the segregation of companies into small firms, which influence the industry's structure [14][15][16][17]. On the other hand, fragmentation of project is the disintegration of construction processes, information and specializations [18,19]. The current paper focuses on this level of fragmentation as it has a direct and negative impact on construction project performance [20,21]. ...
Many studies have affirmed a negative influence of fragmentation on learning and knowledge sharing in construction projects. However, the literature overlooked enablers of learning within this context. The purpose of this paper is to explore the factors that facilitate project learning and ways to negate any unbecoming effects of fragmentation. Qualitative study used to explore the enablers through interviews administered to 11 top management individuals working in different construction projects in Malaysia. The findings revealed the following factors: participation, relationships, togetherness, and roles of project leader and coordinator. The role of boundary objects was also highlighted including information technology (IT), contract and procedures, drawings, specifications, and reports. The outcome of this paper initiates the development of a model for better knowledge creation and sharing in construction projects. The significance of this model stems from its ability to connection both the characteristics of construction project and project learning theories using the enablers. It is envisaged that future work will be to confirm the model in a quantitative study.
... Not surprisingly, all of these visions were imported from other sectors, such as. aerospace and manufacturing (Bresnen & Marshall, 2001), confirming that the construction industry has a tradition in importing and not producing technological innovations but (Pavitt, 1984). A few scholars challenged the extent to which such innovations in construction are indeed applied and effective (Fernie & Tennant, 2013), accusing construction industry strategists of uncritically adopting "management fashions" (Green, 2011) and defending business as usual. ...
As a social construct, innovation is influenced by and influences its context. This ongoing study includes a proposed approach and indicative findings to increase our understanding of digital innovation in the context of construction. Megaprojects, due to their embeddedness, longevity and pervasiveness offer a rich research setting to understand the interplay of institutions, agency and digital innovations. Data are collected using systematic literature review and analysed using synthetic strategies. Emergent findings reveal the importance of social actors moving across megaprojects and institutions and influencing digital innovation. Institutional push for digital innovation is detached from relevant technological emergence. Megaprojects are ideal vessels to capture and understand the generation of digital innovation.
... Given that many construction management processes are not substantially different from general management processes (Bresnen and Marshall 2001), but tend to use more specific terminology, the methodological deviations from the classic Grounded Theory in the CM domain are characterized by many similarities with research in organization and management. For example, they share a shift in epistemological position from positivism to interpretivism, or to pragmatist epistemology. ...
Grounded Theory, now more than 50 years old, is a qualitative research approach widely employed in the social and human science studies to develop theories with a high degree of conceptuality. For construction management research, given the nature of this applied sub-discipline of management, a paradigmatic shift in Grounded Theory is needed, from classical positivism to pragmatism. Abductive Grounded Theory is posited as the way to achieve this shift in research methodology. The proposition is explored through a worked example, using Early Contractor Involvement research as a case study to demonstrate the research process. The data analysis process of open coding, axial coding and selective coding is described, together with the process of matching complementary prospect theory to explain the interdependencies between theoretical categories. The issues of validity and reliability are addressed. Of particular importance is the faithfulness to the original analytical coding process and then abduction of existing theories from salient literature to explain the relationships amongst emergent concepts. The findings show that, while the development of the research question is initially influenced by the review of literature, there is no deliberate effort to direct or force the collected information towards any set of pre-defined concepts. The study shows promising potential for using Abductive Grounded Theory to develop conceptual and instrumental theories in construction management research.
... All the mentioned methods are just some specific methods introduced to the construction industry having been built upon the capabilities of ICT. But to be more precise, based on the literature review it is suggestible that one of the most advantageous possible approaches to adopting ICT into construction industry would be to enhance the communication management and the transfer of information amongst different organisations, different stakeholders, different actors in the project, different teams, and even among the team members inside an organisation (Kivrak et al., 2010, Koskela and Kazi, 2003, Love et al., 2004, Peansupap and Walker, 2005, Peansupap and Walker, 2006, Sarshar et al., 2002, Soliman and Janz, 2004, Zarli et al., 2004, Bresnen and Marshall, 2001, Peansupap and Derek, 2006, Ahuja et al., 2009, Adriaanse et al., 2010. ...
Industry in general has seen many technological developments in recent decades. However, the construction industry has not kept pace particularly within the area of information and communication technologies (ICTs). This could be for many reasons notably including the fragmented structure of the industry. Many studies regard the construction industry’s failure to keep pace with ICTs as a major problem affecting its performance. Hence, they have tried to diagnose the problem in this regard. Many drivers have seen the successful adoption of new ICTs within other industries with this trend now emerging within the construction industry. Because of the increasing awareness among practitioners of the benefits of utilising ICTs within construction, the recent decade has seen many construction projects harnessing ICTs methods and strategies in construction. This paper has an exploratory approach with the aim of reviewing the existing research publications on the subject, describing the current state of ICTs in construction industry, and introducing some successful methods. The presented discussions will provide guidelines for practitioners and policy makers in the construction industry regarding the advantages of adopting ICTs for enhancing the efficiency of the construction industry. The methods introduced could be beneficial for key construction stakeholders in developing countries by presenting the advantages gained from merging ICTs into construction projects processes based on methods previously tested in developed economies.
... A project is commonly understood as a temporary organization that has processes set up to achieve specified objectives (Morris, 1994(Morris, , 2004Packendorff, 1995;Winch, 2010). Most modern construction and infrastructure projects are perceived as inherently innovative in the context of the dynamic nature of markets, technologies, and communications (Brady & Davies, 2014;Bresnen & Marshall, 2001). The project is frequently positioned as the means by which innovation can take place (Brady & Hobday, 2011;Davies, 2014;Prencipe, Davies, & Hobday, 2003). ...
The notion of ‘innovative projects’ is popular and often taken for granted. This article challenges this taken for granted concept and attempts to provide detailed insights into what constitutes an ‘innovative project.’ Specifically, the article focuses on three main questions: (1) What kinds of projects are considered innovative? (2) How do projects become recognized as innovative and by whom? And (3) Why are projects recognized as innovative? This research follows the ‘linguistic turn’ occurring in project management studies, showing that social identity theory is a useful and insightful way of understanding discursively constructed labels chosen by practitioners to identify projects as innovative. Labeling projects as innovative has implications for practice as playing an important strategic role in bolstering the reputations of organizations and attracting customers; such labels are often used meaningfully, but also purposefully in project-based organizations.
... In the general literature, innovation is referred to as R&D practices and implementing high technology aspects, but innovation in building and construction can take different forms from design to procurement, contracting, financial arrangement or even softer aspects such as teamwork and leadership. Innovation can take different forms including but not limited to: off-site manufacturing (Gann, 1997;Taylor and Levitt, 2006;Winch, 1998;Arditi et al., 1997), process (Pellicer et al., 2012) quality management (Kanji, 1996;Santos-Vijande and Álvarez-González, 2007), construction method, procurement and contracting (Llyod-Walker et al., 2014;Murphy et al., 2011;De Valence, 2010), design (Atlantic, 2008;CEC, 2009;Tatum, 1989), IT and technical advances (Gambatese and Hallowell, 2011b;Tushman et al., 2010), project management (Hobday, 2000;Bresnen and Marshall, 2001;Keegan and Turner, 2002;Dainty et al., 2005) and even softer aspects such as people management and leadership (Tatum, 1986;Aouad et al., 2010;Ozorhon et al., 2013). ...
Purpose
This paper aims to develop a practical tool to evaluate the outcomes of innovative practices in the building and construction industry.
Design/methodology/approach
A practical tool was proposed. It is an online tool programmed in a JavaScript environment. A previously developed and tested framework was the basis for this tool. Six case projects were used to test and validate the reliability of the tool. The outcomes of the building projects were categorized into six categories of economic, quality, social, environmental, satisfaction and soft and organizational impacts.
Findings
The most important finding of this research was that the evaluation of innovation in building and construction would be possible only if the subjective assessment is tolerated to include the non-monetary outcomes in the evaluation, as well as the monetary outcomes.
Research limitations/implications
The findings of this research are limited to the domestic and medium density building projects; thus, the outcomes might be generalized with appropriate care. The developed tool would assist practitioners in the field of building and construction to realize the impacts of innovation introduced into their projects. The project owners and developers could be the main audience of this tool.
Practical implications
The main contribution of the current study into the literature is the consideration of tangible and intangible outcomes of innovation together. In other words, this tool not only evaluates monetary outcomes but also takes into account non-monetary outcomes. It has been stated in the literature that 80 per cent of firms choose “non-numeric” project selection models (Meredith and Mantel, 2006). To provide a full representation of the reality, this model considers both numeric and non-numeric measures by applying both quantitative and qualitative evaluation methods. The project owners and developers could be the main audience of this tool. It is worth mentioning that this tool is the first attempt of its kind for building and construction projects, and it is applicable and fully practical.
Originality/value
This tool is the first attempt of its kind to evaluate practically the outcomes of innovation in the building and construction industry. The tool practicality and applicability in the real-world project is a privilege which gives more reliability and credibility to the proposed approach of innovation evaluation.
... According to Hillson and Murray-Webster [25] and Simu [12], the effect of risk management should have a substantial relationship to the project objectives. But, according to Bresnen and Marshall [26], these objectives are not easy to apply owing to the problems involved in disaggregating them from the effects of other project administration processes. ...
Managing risks in construction projects has been acknowledged as a key direction process for the purposes of attaining the project goal in terms of time, cost, quality, safety, and environmental sustainability. Hence, the paper evaluated pre-construction and construction risks on active project sites in Abuja-Nigeria. This was achieved using survey method through the self-administration of 35 questionnaires to the professionals handling the 35 identified projects being undertaking at that time. Results showed that errors and omissions in design and improperly defined project scope had mean score values of 3.03 and 2.54, respectively, were the construction risks most experienced by the professionals during pre-construction. On the other hand, fluctuation in market prices and delays with mean score values of 3.14 and 2.74, respectively, were the construction risks experienced by the professionals during the construction phase of the projects. It is recommended that procurement methods such as construction management should be adopted and stakeholders should keep to their own side of the bargain to avoid unnecessary delays.
... Information Technology is a vital tool used widely in industries to improve productivity and efficiency. Bresnen and Marshall (2001) found that increased automation and integration usage may contribute significantly to project performance in terms of cost and schedule success. Automation technology has a significant potential of influencing both company and project performance in the construction industry too. ...
1770 | P a g e 3 0 N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 5 w w w. g j a r. o r g ABSTRACT The purpose of this research is to show empirically that the benefits of automating the quantification of construction works exceed the costs of acquiring the automation technology tool. Using an experimental design, 30 entry level quantity surveyors from a university in South Eastern Nigeria were provided with the hard copies of the architectural and structural engineering drawings of a residential duplex. The volunteers were asked to quantify and bill two items from the substructure of the residential duplex using manual quantification and billing process and their adding machines. The time taken for each of them to perform the task was recorded. In the second round of the experiment, the volunteers were asked to redo the quantification and billing task using a semi-automation technology tool-a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet that has been customized for quantification and billing of construction works. Again the time taken to perform the task was recorded. Using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), student t test was deployed to test the hypothesis that there is no difference in time expended performing the tasks using the manual and automated processes. The findings show that the automation of the manual process reduces the time taken to perform the task by 32.4%. Using a realistic earning situation of a freelancing quantity surveyor, the value of this time savings within a year period is estimated to be over 400% of the cost of acquiring the computer hardware and software needed for quantifying and billing construction works. The limitations of the study such as the choice of only two excavation items for the experiment should be borne in mind in applying the findings. The use of the same set of 30 volunteers for the manual and automated experiments constitutes another limitation. The study therefore shows that it is anti-cost effective to continue to deploy manual quantification and billing processes. To this end, the paper concludes with an appeal to Nigerian quantity surveyors to consider the adoption of information technology tools in their practices.
... 11) 'Perceived ease of use' (Venkatesh & Bala, 2008). 12) 'Beliefs of similarity or difference from other adopters' (Bresnen & Marshall, 2001). 13) 'Gender and age differences' (Morris & Venkatesh, 2000; Venkatesh et al. 2004). ...
This paper describes a mixed methodological research approach for developing a framework to help organisations to improve and embed project management (PM) practices in an effective way. While the literature on PM provides some advice, organisations need guidance on which PM improvement initiatives should they concentrate their efforts. A related issue is how to facilitate the embedment of these PM improvement initiatives in an effective manner. An “innovation lens” perspective was adopted. The research involved a literature review followed by a programme of interviews with PM professionals in Portugal and a
global survey. Based on a review of PM and innovation literature, a preliminary set of potentially relevant improving and embedding factors was identified. The interviews then explored the salience of these factors and lead to a modified set of pertinent factors. In the third phase of the research, data from 793 questionnaire responses from a wide range of PM professionals worldwide was used to test the framework.
... 11. 'Perceived ease of use' (Venkatesh and Bala, 2008). 12. 'Beliefs of similarity or difference from other adopters' (Bresnen and Marshall, 2001). 13. 'Gender and age differences' (Morris and Venkatesh, 2000;Venkatesh et al., 2004). ...
Project management is becoming an asset to a considerable amount of organizations in their everyday routine. When the importance of PM grows, the challenges that an organization has to face also raise, and the need of an effective answer becomes essential. The Project Management Office (PMO) is an entity which aims to facilitate project management, to solve its main challenges and to optimize its best practices within the organization. However, to decide which specific functions and in what context should an organization implement a PMO remains a major challenge for most organizations. Therefore, this paper suggests different PMOs typologies, designed to perceive PMOs like an evolutional structure. The PMOs are conceptualized as models through the roles they play, taking into account the level of integration within the organization.
... Many contributors are concerned by a lack of relevance to industry in current academic research, suggesting it promotes description and explanation at the expense of problem solving (AlSehaimi et al, 2013). AR seeks to redress that balance by linking new knowledge to practical situations (Bresnen and Marshall, 2001). AR is widely conceptualised as a 'cycle' or 'spiral'. ...
Irish construction reported strong growth towards the end of 2013, after years of industry recession. Following a property led economic collapse which started in 2007 construction output fell by circa eighty percent. Many construction companies went out of business; those remaining are strongly focused on their bottom line and increasing efficiency to ensure survival. Defects and rework, common in construction, are both wasteful and a cost that can be avoided, thus presenting an obvious target for improvement. A regional SME main contractor collaborated on a project to improve the efficiency of their current processes for the identification, management and elimination of defects and rework in their supply chain. An action research strategy was employed on several field projects, to investigate the problems faced by the company in this area and to develop an improvement plan. Action research involves a five stage problem solving cycle (1) problem diagnosing; (2) action planning; (3) action taking; (4) evaluation of results; (5) specification of learning. Action planning elements emerging from the cycle (at stage 2) are presented here. They are very wide ranging and include; process standardisation; sign off procedures; use of ICT as a collaborative platform; freeware information repository; cost modelling; benchmarks for improvement; planning workshops; root cause analysis of defects and subsequent development of learning materials. Preliminary results indicate a sophisticated understanding of the defects and rework process across the supply-chain, but a general lack of forum and opportunity to contribute to improvement. The results indicate a wide diversity of abilities and resources in SMEs, including human, capital and technological, meaning one size fits all solutions to efficiency improvements are difficult to attain. Prescriptions thus need to be both simple to implement and flexible. The results here offer detailed reflective insight into best practice in designing improvement plans of this nature.
... An alternative, more fruitful approach would be to see the organisation as 'a fluid and dynamic web of complex social, economic and political relations' where 'fragmentation and conflict, are the "natural" state of affairs' (Bresnen et al. 2005). Bresnen et al. (2001) and Ofori & Toor (2009) point out that construction management research has taken a different path than mainstream organisational management research, by being more influenced by engineering, production and operations management. When construction management research has applied ideas Sunding, L and Ekholm A (2014) 'Problems and problem attention in the construction sector -understanding the influence of human factors', Australasian Journal of Construction Economics and Building, 14 (2) 1-17 2 from social science, Bresnen et al. (2005) have noted that it has not always been firmly based on its theoretical and methodological foundations. ...
Problems concerning quality and productivity in the construction sector have been a recurrent issue for many years and seem to remain in spite of various initiatives for resolving them. This situation is a result of human action. From social sciences we know that psychological factors crucially influence action design. Knowledge of this influence seems however to be underestimated in the construction sector, and could represent a missing link between strategies, plans and instructions, and the actions carried out. In order to prospect for new problem solving approaches we undertook a questionnaire-based survey to investigate how individuals in the sector perceive the importance and occurrence of, and attention directed to, different proposed causes of inadequate performance. The design of the questionnaire enabled comparisons of different answers to look beyond the respondents' overt answers. The result suggests that (1) the whole problem solving situation, including individual, relational and contextual problem components should be addressed as 'the problem'; (2) the workforce has the ambition and courage to do what is expected but does not always have adequate information and the ability or resources to do it; (3) the approach taken in this study appears to have the potential for looking behind the façade, by detecting different kinds of contradictions.
... All the mentioned methods are just some specific methods introduced to the construction industry having been built upon the capabilities of ICT. But to be more precise, based on the literature review it is suggestible that one of the most advantageous possible approaches to adopting ICT into construction industry would be to enhance the communication management and the transfer of information amongst different organisations, different stakeholders, different actors in the project, different teams, and even among the team members inside an organisation (Kivrak et al., 2010, Koskela and Kazi, 2003, Love et al., 2004, Peansupap and Walker, 2005, Peansupap and Walker, 2006, Sarshar et al., 2002, Soliman and Janz, 2004, Zarli et al., 2004, Bresnen and Marshall, 2001, Peansupap and Derek, 2006, Ahuja et al., 2009, Adriaanse et al., 2010. ...
... Moreover, a ubiquitous sense of risk and uncertainty follows from the impact of the dynamics. Managers in project-based organisations thus experience insecurity as an everyday condition (Bresnen and Marshall, 2001;Galbraith, 1977). The many dynamics exert an influence on particular operations strategy ideas' alignment with managerial interests and perspectives in processes through which they enter organisations and impact action. ...
Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to study how operations strategy (OS) innovation occurs in a project-centred production and organisation.
Design/methodology/approach
– A longitudinal case study encompassing the processes at the headquarters of the company and in two projects using lean.
Findings
– The operation strategy development commences at a middle level in the organisation, is underpinned and embedded in production projects and only after several years becomes embedded in the corporate operation strategy. Projects use lean principles in a differentiated manner.
Research limitations/implications
– A qualitative case study provides insight into only a single occasion of change in OS. More case studies would probably reveal several paths of OS development. OS development need to be handled as emergent, political and with contributions from several managers and management levels, bridging the vertical divides between projects and headquarter.
Practical implications
– A conscious and systematic vertical integration and interaction is crucial in project-based companies doing operation strategy development, something critically difficult at building contractors.
Originality/value
– The present study contributes to the small body of studies of OS development processes, by providing insight in how project-based companies renew their operation strategy.
... It has been recognized in the construction sector that innovations offer the potential for significant organizational and industrial improvements (Bresnen and Marshall, 2001). However, whilst it is evident that many construction innovations originate from employees, there remains a lack of understanding concerning the contextual Employees and the Innovative Idea Contribution Process and individual characteristics that shape the idea contribution process. ...
Understanding how contextual and individual characteristics affect employee willingness to propose innovative ideas to an organization is an important, if understudied aspect of the innovation process. Based on an interactional perspective, widely used in creativity and innovation studies, this paper examines the influence of both contextual and individual characteristics on employee willingness to contribute innovative ideas to other organizational actors. Using a quasi-experimental approach, it is reported that intrinsic motivation, knowledge and curiosity are more important motivators than individual position in the company and any potential financial rewards. Additionally, the personality dimensions of the Big-Five Inventory (BFI) show no significant affect on employee willingness to contribute ideas. The results of the study are contextualized with the literature regarding the idea contribution processes, and further research directions are indicated.
... 11. 'Perceived ease of use' (Venkatesh and Bala, 2008). 12. 'Beliefs of similarity or difference from other adopters' (Bresnen and Marshall, 2001). 13. 'Gender and age differences' (Morris and Venkatesh, 2000;Venkatesh et al., 2004). ...
This paper describes the results of a qualitative study to develop a framework to help organisations to embed useful project management improvement initiatives (PMIIs), which specifically aimed to identify key PMIIs and key embedding factors, based upon the circumstances encountered in different organisations. While the literature on PM provides some advice about PMIIs, understanding how to facilitate their embedment appears to be limited. However, research reported in the innovation literature provides a useful preliminary set of salient factors. A first attempt at framework conceptualisation based on a literature review was used as a starting point for exploratory empirical research. A series of thirty semi-structured interviews with PM professionals sought to identify additional PMIIs and embedding factors and check its salience. Analysis of the interviews data led to a framework comprising key 15 PMIIs and 26 key embedding factors, grouped into four improving themes and six embedding themes.
... This lack of implementation of existing ideas and concepts has several causes; firstly, the temporary organizational structure inhibits the long-term development, refinement, and implementation of the new ideas and concepts [6;7;7;8]. Secondly, mistrust and cultural differences hamper the implementation in multi-organizational settings [8] [1]. ...
For more than 20 years different initiatives have been carried out to increase the productivity of the Danish Building Industry. However, the long lasting results of these have not yet materialised. This paper presents a development initiative in the Danish Building Industry called BygSoL. The focus of BygSoL is learning and cooperation at the building site supported by implementing elements from among other things Partnering and Lean Construction, and by offering educational programs at the building site. The initiative includes more than 10 building projects, educational institutions, research institutions and the labour market partners, and therefore covers a broad range of actors in the industry. It is claimed that by involving the broad range of representatives in the sector and at the same time having focus on the building site, the initiative points in the right direction for making long lasting development of the building process.
... The community in the construction industry (i.-e, research community or the organisations working for developing innovative products or processes) has difficulty pushing this knowledge into organisations. Their efforts are met with strong resistance predominantly due to resistance to change, stiff culture, lack of motivation, weak leadership in strategy and vision, absence of learning mechanisms, and failure to appreciate the immediate benefits of adopting innovations (Gann, 2001, Santos et al., 2002Oglesby, 1989;Bresnen and Marshall, 2001). This leads to a gap between research and its practical implications. ...
Knowledge pull has become an essential requirement for construction organisations to survive in knowledge era. As more industries recognizing knowledge as a vital sustainable asset, the construction industry cannot afford to lag behind. This paper argues that implementing knowledge management principles in the organisation would generate forces within the organisation enabling the pull of knowledge from outside the organisation to within and exploit it to deliver innovation. This would pave the way for external sources of knowledge and innovation, like universities or research centres, to work closely with the industry and would ensure that useful and beneficial academic research would not go unnoticed. The paper provides an account of a case where a specific construction organisation has benefited from the effort of an employee who constantly strived to establish a link with the external innovative knowledge by attending research conferences. As a result external knowledge of an innovative product was introduced into the organisation and used on a construction project to deliver significant benefits that resulted in enhanced profitability. Soft System Methodology (SSM) has been used to undertake this case study and to develop deeper understanding of the issues involved. The paper argues that such beneficial links with the external research and knowledge bodies must be better understood and encouraged, and knowledge management provides the organisation with the tools and techniques to achieve this.
... Studies abound on the use of construction SCM for waste minimisation (see Proverbs and Holt, 2000;Vrijhoef and Koskela, 2000), often hinging on lean manufacturing philosophies (see Jones and Saad, 1998). Still, several dissenters have voiced their views against the mere transference of such principles from manufacturing without recognising the nuances of construction (see Green, 1999;Bresnen and Marshall, 2001), resulting in recent calls for more thorough, holistic understanding of SCM application in construction (see Akintoye et al., 2000;Saad et al., 2002;Briscoe and Dainty, 2005). ...
Supply chain management (SCM) has grown as a discipline since the field attracted attention in the 1980s. However, it is observed that effective implementation of SCM is limited because the current focus is too task-based and information-centric. The concept is often conflated, in practice, with subcontractor management, where numerical flexibility is pertinent. At the same time, consideration of human resources management (HRM) in SCM has been limited. Strategic fit within supply chains tends to emphasise task-based numerical flexibility, rather than genuine consideration and development of human resources. On the other hand, HRM has, until recently, rarely taken into account inter-organisational characteristics that typify the construction industry. Therefore, this research intends to plug the gap by examining the use of human resources in construction supply chains, with a view of developing good practice for HRM in construction SCM. To achieve this, a two-phase research methodology comprising a scoping phase and case study phase will be ensued.
The organization of construction in the People’s Republic of China has over recent decades undergone radical restructuring. The announcement of Deng Xiaoping’s Open Door strategy in 1978 marked the beginning of the transition towards the espoused socialist market economy and the progressive introduction of market mechanisms. Existing research tends to focus on the derivation of “critical success factors” rather than the lived realities of those directly involved. In contrast, the current paper adopts a sensemaking perspective that privileges the transient roles and identities of those involved in the micro-processes of project organizing. The empirical focus lies on the sensemaking narratives of middle managers within three state-owned construction enterprises in the Chongqing city region. The findings illustrate how market mechanisms such as bidding and tendering play out in complex ways involving hybrid arrangements between new and pre-existing ways of working. The terminology of project management is seen to have played a performative role in establishing the “project” as the essential unit around which the socialist market is organized. Middle managers are further found to maintain multiple identities in response to the experienced paradoxes of the socialist market economy. The research provides new insights into the micro-processes of project organizing in China with broader implications for transitional economies elsewhere.
In recent years, the transformation of construction companies using contemporary management approaches has gained momentum according to acclimate changing conditions. Because developing knowledge increases the competition rapidly. The organizations which are able to learn faster with all of the elements achieve the development and survival. The concept of learning organization is one the most important approaches for adapting the organizations to new environment. Although the researches of business and management sciences have explored the effectiveness of this subject intensively, the concept of learning organization in construction sector has not been entirely investigated yet. For this reason, in this study, learning organization is introduced and examines in terms of construction industry which is quite different from other industries.
The title of the dissertation 'The constitution of partnering' refers to the duality that is the central concern of the study. On the one hand, the examination of the emergence and development of partnering and on the other hand the functioning of partnering. Or in other words: the constitution respectively the constitutive effects of partnering. The subtitle 'A Foucauldian analysis of dispositives, space, and order in Danish construction' sharpens the tone and illustrates the special attention on Foucault's dispositive or apparatus as the key to an understanding of partnering.
The dissertation consists of 11 chapters collected in four main parts. In the first part the problem and field of research, analytical strategy and methodological considerations are introduced. Chapter 1 presents the background for the study, and the choice of theoretical frame/analytical strategy is discussed preliminarily. I argue for the appropriateness and applicability of Foucault's concept of the dispositive as a main route to the study of highly polyvalent phenomena if reductionism is to be avoided. In extension hereof a short discussion concerning the implications of following a post-structuralistic analytical strategy is highlighted. In chapter 2 Foucault's concept of the dispositive is subjected to inquiry. It is argued that the dispositive analysis has to be seen as a continuation, rather than a replacement, of Foucault's archaeological and genealogical projects. It is thus shown that Foucault in his work with the knowledge archaeology had more than opened the door for the analysis of the non-discursive – and thus the dispositive. From here on, I focus specifically on the dispositive analysis as a critical historiographic analysis of the dissemination and interplay of social technologies; social technologies understood as ways of regulating the conduct of people. With the theoretical gaze established, in chapter 3 I discuss the implications hereof in relation to my study and the empirical field in general. I discuss the de-ontologisation and deconstruction of the object of the study as a basis for establishing an understanding for how to conduct post-structuralist interviews and field research.
The second part of the dissertation is concerned with the historical analysis of dispositives in Danish construction. Coming from Foucault, the starting point of this exercise is that if we are to establish a critical, rather than a commonsense, understanding of current practices and forms of management and organisation, we have to understand their historical origins. The basis of this kind of thinking is the fundamental realisation, which Foucault shares with Heidegger and Nietzsche that man is historical. Chapter 4 sets the tone for the analysis, which in chapter 5 concentrates on the notion of 'building customs and practices' as the diagrammatical, i.e. the predominant underlying pattern for social interaction, in 'early' Danish construction. In chapter 6, I establish a break and the post-WW2 rationalisation efforts are analysed. Here it is demonstrated how the newly established notion of the construction sector, founded on a technical-scientific rationality, gave rise to a pervasive functional differentiation, in which existing practices, material and actors was subjected to a gaze of normation owing to the normative ideal of the optimal. By drawing on Foucault's notion of the discipline it is shown how the logic of this functional differentiation can be understood as a stratification of time and space; that the unity is planned by arranging the parts and predetermining their actions. We can understand this as an optimisation of the totality through an optimisation of the parts – as an attempt to eliminate contingencies and make the planned happen, as Jensen (2007) would put it. This can be seen in e.g. the laws, materiality, institutions and not least management rationality of the time, where the phase model is argued to constitute the ideal figure of political technology; of the strategic codification of the micro-physical relations of power in the field. In chapter 7, another rupture is established, in that it is argued that we from the 1990s onwards are witnessing a dawning break from stratification as the dominant pattern for social interaction in Danish construction. It is suggested that we instead are facing an acknowledgement of the centralistic unitary-planning's insufficiencies. The problems of coordination that the functional differentiation had constituted as the focus of governance now had to be 'short-circuited' by displacing questions and practices of planning, decision-making and control to the sphere of the practical work. Using partnering as the master-case this development is described as a process, which first and foremost took place by enforcing a so-called logic of exemptions on a politico-institutional level. It is thus demonstrated that the elements or concepts we associate with partnering, e.g. economic incentives, the freedom to choose work partners, conflict resolution models, common activities etc., each and one can be seen as contributing to the 'sidelining' of one or more perceived inconveniences of the so-called stratified sociality. As such, partnering is reconstructed as a nullification of the traditional, or a smoothing out of the stratified space. The implication hereof is, in the first instance, that partnering emerges as a continuous opening of a space for action and attribution of meaning, as actions are not unequivocally pre-determined.
On this basis, the third part of the dissertation inquires into the actualisations of this logic in a specific building project. Two central concepts are treated: space and social order. In chapter 8, the specific project is staged, and in chapter 9, a series of events in the actualisation of partnering is examined, drawing on the notion of space. The basic argument is that on this project, partnering, through the problematisation of hierarchies, actualises a smooth kind of space, which again actualises flexibility, outsourcing of control, and individual responsibility as central means in the handling of social order. Then in chapter 10, I look into what happens when an established, totalising social order is destabilised. It is shown how efforts, as a result of the breaking-down of fixed structures and roles that partnering entails, are directed towards installing individual responsibility and ownership as central governance mechanisms by means of deploying social technologies with normalising effects. The conduct of workshops is described in this light as a social technology that aims at 'programming' the new ideal social order into the conducts of the participants. From here on it is examined how this ideal is sought instigated in the daily sphere of the project through the use of practices of staged co-presence of actors and benchmarking. It is shown how these activities and practices aim at establishing a homogenous platform for action, which parts with the predetermining rationality of the planning-ideal.
Finally, in part four, the conclusions of the study are presented in chapter 11. Here I advance an understanding of partnering as a dispositive that establishes a space for interventions within which local actions are conducted in order to (re-) establish a social order. This takes place in the efforts to handle the tensions between a traditional stratified sociality, with its commonsense qualities, and a 'smooth' sociality in which circulation, self-governance, individual responsibility and ownership are more important than unambiguity, planning and control. Furthermore the relationship between the macro- and micro-physics of power is discussed.
Construction sites are plagued with numerous problems, such as improper planning and management, high amounts of waste generation and low awareness of waste reduction. Construction and demolition waste literature provides several best practises and prescriptive strategies that help minimise waste during construction. However, it lacks in the systematic identification and minimisation approach of all possibilities of waste. Therefore, studies focusing on principles and tools that help systematically analyse the inefficiencies of on-site processes leading to waste generation and philosophies addressing waste minimisation are necessary. As eliminating waste is one of the key lean principles, this article discusses the need and importance of integrating the lean construction with the construction and demolition waste management. This article aims to estimate and assess the causes of waste generation in a high-rise building construction through a case study in Chennai city (India) using value stream mapping, a key lean construction tool. Onsite monitoring and measurement were performed to quantify the amount of waste generated. A waste generation rate of 66.26 kg m⁻² was identified, of which concrete, cement mortar and brick waste represented almost 90% of the total construction waste. Direct observation and interviews of site personnel were conducted to understand the causes of waste generation. A strategic framework has been proposed to improve construction and demolition waste minimisation depicting the synergy of combining lean construction principles with construction and demolition waste management strategies. The proposed framework helps in the systematic identification, assessment and minimisation of on-site construction waste generation.
The stakeholder network in a building project can influence the process of adopting sustainable building practice. Complexity of construction projects calls for integrated modes of collaboration, while the excess inertia among stakeholders resulted in sluggish adoption of sustainable design and technologies. This study examined buildings that both had and had not adopted Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and/or ENERGY STAR in the New York metropolitan area, built, or went through major renovation between 1998 and 2013. Secondary datasets from multiple sources, including a private building database company, US Green Building Council, and the US Environmental Protection Agency, were combined based on building address and used for analysis. Stakeholders involved in those projects were retrospectively identified to understand the diffusion of innovation. The analysis included a total of 205 projects and 273 organizations. Findings suggest that having an architect who had worked on ENERGY STAR project(s) increased the likelihood of adopting ENERGY STAR. However, stakeholders’ previous work collaboration was not associated with the adoption of sustainable programs. The method of utilizing multiple secondary datasets was tested to contribute to the methodology of building research by enabling the accumulation of knowledge.
The project was initiated with a speculation on why the productivity in the construction industry did not develop satisfactory despite the numerous attempts made. The research first present a scrutinising of the background for the current lock-in situation by examining project organisations as learning arenas and the educational background of practitioners in the industry. This initial research made it clear that the industry suffers from several hindrances for development, of which the most important was the fragmentation of the industry. This means that many separate parties work together with no interaction but through a formal chain of commands, and hence practical experience and tacit knowledge on how to communicate and coordinate is not passed on to be re-used as a process of continuous improvement.
Further theoretical studies on learning, mostly based on the work of John Dewey, gave an understanding of this learning lock-in situation. According to his work, learning emerges from practice and leads to either new expectations or a changed practice. Case studies made a concrete context for the theoretical findings and the lock-in situation was further unfolded. Because of lack in communication between on one side the workers and on the other designers and managers, experience was not activated and thus not re-used.
Interventions through action research showed that different initiatives could affect the learning process at the construction site. In particular the effect of the following initiatives was examined: a common workmen’s shed, Lean Construction and an evaluation meeting between skilled construction workers and designers. First, the findings showed that boundary objects could be used to facilitate cross disciplinary discussions necessary to unify the learning across demarcation lines. Certain boundary objects made abstract issues tangible and present for the workers, who thereby could discuss across demarcation lines and thus contribute to the solution of the issues. Second, knowledge diffusion could be facilitated by using translators and brokers to communicate knowledge across boundaries. Translators are external persons who understand various communities and can communicate with different communities, and thereby facilitate communication. Brokers are involved in several communities and hence bring knowledge from one to the other.
In general, this thesis points to the fact that social ties across different professions and different crews are almost non existent when it involves skilled construction workers. This situation leads to sub optimising and reluctance towards development. One way to facilitate continuous development of the construction process is to acknowledge that social relations are necessary in order for practice based knowledge to diffuse. Furthermore, the skilled workers should be perceived as a useful knowledge resource for improving the construction process.
The construction industry is in need of interdisciplinary learning and development in order to meet customers‘ needs. However, interdisciplinary learning can be difficult to facilitate, particularly in the construction industry due to organizational structures based on separation of professions, and due to traditions for relying on tacit and practice based knowledge. To meet this challenge, Lean Construction has shown great potential in initiating and facilitating learning, and particularly interdisciplinary learning, throughout the design and construction phases. In order to be able to deliberately facilitate this interdisciplinary learning, a general understanding of why Lean Construction leads to learning is developed. For this both practice based theories as well as a case study are presented. Finally, the authors call for more research on the topic of learning at higher organizational levels, particularly with focus on the early phases. The aim is to include the entire supply chain on a construction project in increasing the value of the end product.
Purpose
Although the construction industry is known for its low level of innovation and slow pace of change, some of its characteristics not only make this sector unique but also provide some opportunities to innovate. Innovation evaluation has become one of the priorities for building practitioners. This study aims to develop a practical methodology to evaluate the outcomes of innovation in small building and construction projects.
Design/methodology/approach
The research used three real case projects and information along with what was found in the literature. A framework was developed based on an extensive literature review of innovation outcomes evaluation.
Findings
The outcomes of the building projects were categorized into six categories of economic, quality, social, environmental, satisfaction and soft and organizational impacts. It was found that the outcomes of innovative practices in construction projects could be evaluated if subjective assessment is tolerated. The findings of this research are limited to the domestic and medium-density building projects, thus the outcomes might be generalized with appropriate care. The proposed practical framework would assist practitioners in the field of building and construction to realize the impacts of innovation introduced in their projects. The project owners and developers could be the main users of this framework.
Originality/value
Previously developed models or frameworks have mainly remained at the abstract level that could be used as guidelines, but the proposed framework in this study is practical and applicable to real building projects.
This paper describes initial results of a study to develop a framework to help organisations to improve and embed project management (PM) practices in an effective way. While the literature on PM provides some advice, organisations need guidance on which PM improvement initiatives should they concentrate their efforts. A related issue is how to facilitate the embedment of these PM improvement initiatives in an effective manner. The research involved a literature review followed by a programme of interviews with project management professionals in Portugal and a global survey. Implementation of PM improvement initiatives can be usefully regarded as innovations. Based on a review of the innovation literature, a preliminary set of potentially relevant factors was identified. The interviews then explored the salience of these factors and lead to a modified set of pertinent improving and embedding factors. The paper concludes with some preliminary results from the global survey.
Understanding and effecting change in project-based forms of organization is made difficult by the dispersed nature of management practices in such organizations and their effects upon the reinforcement of localized practices and routines that militate against the spread of organization-wide change initiatives. Taking a perspective that is informed by the ‘situated’ approach to knowledge and learning (Lave and Wenger, 1991), this paper focuses in upon the role of organizational routines (Becker, 2004) in constraining or enabling the spread of new management practices within the firm. Drawing upon four case studies of change within UK construction firms, the paper examines the relationship between new and existing management practices and routines, focusing upon the effects of agency and managerial power and influence. Two key dimensions are revealed that influence the nature and extent of change: the extent to which new management initiatives interfere with existing project management practices; and the extent to which they disrupt the balance of power/knowledge within the organization. Implications for understanding and managing change in project-based organization are drawn out and assessed.
Purpose
– The purpose of the paper was twofold: to review established literature to define and classify BIM; and to identify gaps in current BIM literature with respect to stakeholder competency. Construction projects adopt innovation to address client requirements. Building information modelling (BIM) has been cited as one such innovation. However there is concern that the industry lacks the mechanisms to effectively implement BIM. It is proposed that the problem lies in that BIM is currently being delivered as a project rather than an innovation; and the failure to address stakeholder competency as the key delivery agent of BIM.
Design/methodology/approach
– A qualitative study using literature and gap analysis techniques was undertaken to establish the “state of the art”. Using an established Competency Framework 31, studies on BIM were assessed. A matrix was developed aligning the BIM studies with the Competency Framework and the findings systematically evaluated to identify gaps in the current literature.
Findings
– BIM was defined as a technical innovation and classified as a “System” of multiple innovations. Aligning the literature identified that BIM literature has largely focussed on strategic competence with some evidence of technical competence. However, there was scant investigation of information and communication competence which ranks as the most critical competency for BIM implementation. The study identified that whilst the competency-related literature on BIM was not yet rich enough to provide a sound conceptual foundation for investigation, it was evident that BIM implementation aligns closely with the innovation process.
Practical implications
– The findings highlighted the imperative of developing a competency-based approach for BIM implementation.
Social implications
– It was anticipated that a competency-based approach will provide insights to benefit construction industry clients and inform the targeted training of project stakeholders.
Originality/value
– BIM must be implemented as an innovation using a competency-based management approach as the key delivery mechanism.
This paper describes the results of a qualitative study to develop a framework to help organisations to improve and embed project management (PM) practices in an effective way. While the literature on PM provides some advice, understanding how to facilitate embedment appears to be limited. However, research reported in the innovation literature provides a useful preliminary set of salient factors. A series of interviews with PM professionals sought to identify additional factors and the salience of the factors identified from literature review. Observations from the interviews lead to a modified set of pertinent improving and embedding factors.
This paper critically examines available theoretical models which have been derived from statistically established patterns of association between contextual and organizational variables. These models offer an interpretation of organizational structure as a product of primarily economic constraints which contextual variables are assumed to impose. It is argued that available models in fact attempt to explain organization at one remove by ignoring the essentially political process, whereby power-holders within organizations decide upon courses of strategic action. This `strategic choice' typically includes not only the establishment of structural forms but also the manipulation of environmental features and the choice of relevant performance standards. A theoretical re-orientation of this kind away from functional imperatives and towards a recognition of political action is developed and illustrated in the main body of the paper.
This paper uses empirical evidence drawn from a sample of IT-based innovation projects to examine theoretical models of the organization of technical knowledge. It suggests that Williamson's transaction cost account is incomplete, in that it fails to take account of the role of social action in communicating technical knowledge and organizing transactions. As an alternative model, it describes the 'strategies of social closure' developed by IT experts to achieve effective knowledge trading and a mutually acceptable division of the economic gains of innovation. Empirical data is used to describe three such strategies: 'blackboxing', 'hostage' and 'prisoner' strategies.
This paper is a brief but critical survey of some theories of organizational culture. It outlines the theories of culture borrowed from anthropology by social scientists interested in 'complex organizations', and locates these theories in an historical debate regarding their 'proper' use. The paper argues the need for a conceptual distinction between culture and social structure, and asserts that the culture of organizational life cannot be analyzed in terms of a universal unitary concept. The argument concludes by suggesting 'conceptual tools' for interpreting culture — symbol, ideational systems, myth and ritual — and how they might be used in analysis.
Conventional explanations of the enormous popularity of management gurus have centred on the need for managers to find relatively quick and simple solutions to their organizations' complex problems and the gurus' adeptness with marketing technology to promote these solutions. A few writers have also recognized the role that management gurus play in responding to managers' needs to make sense of themselves. Management gurus appeal to the manager's social or externally directed esteem needs by legitimating and celebrating the manager's role in society. the spiritual and charismatic quality of the gurus' work resonates with the manager's personal or internally driven needs by providing a sense of hope and purpose.
The relationship between the management guru and manager is further explored with an analysis of the rhetorical techniques employed by the two leaders of the re-engineering movement, Michael Hammer and James Champy. Adopting a dramatistic or dramaturgical perspective, I describe how these writers skilfully manipulate the managers'sense of themselves to provide a compelling rationale for launching or supporting a re-engineering initiative within their organizations. the inherent dramatic appeal of the re-engineering process is an important reason for the movement's phenomenal popularity and, paradoxically, its lack of universal success.
Culture is increasingly cited as being in need of change if the UK construction industry is to improve its efficiency and productivity. The paper argues that the concept of culture is amenable to radically different treatments and that the research community must recognize the consequences of this choice if it is to make a useful contribution to bringing about the desired change. The dominant research paradigm in construction management is examined and compared to an alternative approach. The consequences attendant upon the choice between these two are explored with reference to four phenomena: a study of quality in the construction industry, Japanese innovation in management, Deming's concept of total quality management and the situation of the site engineer. It is concluded that the dominant rationalist paradigm tacitly endorses existing attitudes and that if researchers are to have a role in changing the culture of the industry, then the culture of research must change also.
Despite the enormous groundswell of interest in partnering and alliancing in recent years, there has been comparatively little research that has set out to investigate systematically the nature, feasibility, benefits and limitations of forms of client-contractor collaboration. This is despite the growing recognition that conditions conducive to partnering may well vary considerably and that partnering may not be the solution for problems within the industry that many commentators have taken it to be. This paper sets out to add to the growing literature and empirical database on partnering by reporting the findings of a research project designed to explore the economic, organizational and technological factors that encourage or inhibit collaboration in practice. The paper follows on from an earlier review and critique of the literature on partnering (Bresnen, M. and Marshall, N. 2000, Construction Management and Economics, 18 (2) 229-237). It includes as its database nine case studies of medium-to-large-scale projects, selected from across the industry, on which processes of collaboration are examined from the viewpoints of clients, contractors, designers and subcontractors. In contrast to much of the prescriptive work in this area, the analysis of the data and the paper's conclusions stress some of the practical problems, limitations and paradoxes of partnering and alliancing when the effects of important economic, organizational and psychological factors are taken into account.
The use of incentives in partnering and alliancing has been seen as an important way of reinforcing collaboration in the short term and helping to build trust between clients and contractors in the long term. Yet only rarely has the impact of incentives on such relationships been discussed, let alone subjected to systematic investigation. This is despite a wealth of theory and research which brings into question the use of incentives and reinforcers as ways of generating motivation and commitment. Drawing upon this theoretical knowledge base and using evidence from a number of case studies of partnerships and alliances, this paper demonstrates how a number of important cognitive and social dimensions affect the use and impact of incentives, sometimes in ways contrary to those intended. The conclusion drawn is that there are important limitations to the use of incentives as means of reinforcing collaboration and developing commitment and trust, and that this raises questions more generally about the assumptions that underlie many of the practical 'tools and techniques' commonly associated with partnering and alliancing.
Partnering in construction has been presented as a potentially important way of improving construction project performance through the direct benefits it can bring to both clients and contractors. However, there is still considerable debate about the nature and merits of a partnering approach. This paper attempts to contribute towards this debate by exploring the presumed link between partnering and cultural change within the industry, at both organizational and interorganizational levels of analysis. To do so, it draws upon theory and research from the social sciences (especially organizational theory) to explore some of the issues, problems and dilemmas which emerge when full and proper account is taken of the complexities of organizations, as well as some of the subtleties and intricacies of the concept of organizational culture. The paper concludes that it is only by fully appreciating the effects of such complexity that a more realistic and practical approach to the development and implementation of partnering will emerge.
In Japan, similar management practices in product development, design, supply-chain coordination, marketing and sales have been used to produce very different products: industrialized housing and automobiles. Manufacturing principles derived from the car industry have been successfully used to produce attractive, customized and affordable homes. But there are limits to which such techniques can be applied to manage the assembly of wide varieties of component parts needed to produce complex customized products. Managers must trade off the need to achieve economies of scale in the production of standardized factory parts with economies of scope in various stages of assembly in order to provide flexibility to satisfy consumer choices. The housing industries can benefit by learning more about the use of advanced manufacturing techniques developed in car production. At the same time, automobile makers may learn more about the management of customization from the way in which housing firms organize sales, design and final assembly. The paper suggests that wider ranges of choice can be delivered through managing the whole production system, balancing the use of standard components with flexibility in assembly, rather than by solely attempting to optimize control in discrete parts of the system.
The current research agenda for construction process improvement is heavily influenced by the rhetoric of business process re-engineering (BPR). In contrast to the wider literature on BPR, there is little evidence of critical thought within the construction management research community. A postmodernist interpretation is advocated whereby the reality of management practice is defined by the dominant management discourse. The persuasiveness of BPR rhetoric is analysed with particular reference to the way in which it plays on the insecurity of modern managers. Despite the lip service given to ‘empowerment’ and ‘teamwork’, the dominant theme of the re-engineering movement is that of technocratic totalitarianism. From a critical perspective, it is suggested that BPR is imposed on construction organizations to ensure continued control by the industry's dominant power groups. Whilst industry leaders are fond of calling for ‘attitudinal and cultural improvement’, the language of the accepted research agenda continually reinforces the industry's dominant culture of ‘control and command’. Therefore, current research directions in process improvement perpetuate existing attitudes rather than facilitating cultural change. The concept of lean construction is seen to be the latest manifestation of this phenomenon.
The model of the `flexible firm' has gained a prominent role in shaping debate about labour market flexibility and employment restructuring in the 1980s. It argues that employers are increasingly segmenting their workers between a permanent `core' of full-time employees, and a `periphery' of part-time, temporary, subcontract and `outsourced' workers. The `core' provides `functional flexibility' through lowered job demarcations and multi-skilling, while the `periphery' provides `numerical flexibility'. This paper argues that these generalisations are based on very selective cases, and reviews evidence which shows that restructuring follows far more complex and uneven lines than this polarisation, which if anything is better reflected in the public sector, which the model omits. The `flexible firm' conflates employment developments due to sectoral restructuring, with `new' `manpower policies', masking the importance of continuities and qualitative changes within these. While registering the increasing vulnerability of many workers, the model fails to note that for many, this is not `new', nor that the dynamic of the eighties is attacking the strength of all workers, including the so-called `core'. Conceptually, the notion of `core' and `periphery' is confused, circular and value laden. The model is criticised for blurring description, prediction and prescription in an ambiguous futurology which slips between research reportage and `best practice' policy. Even here it is ambiguous, and dubious from management's own point of view. Finally, its concern with labour market flexibility is set within the current international climate of neo-classical revival, and the model's institutional interface between Government labour market polices and `leading edge' firms.
Reengineering has rapidly become the business buzzword of the early 1990s. This examination of the reengineering phenomenon sets out to consider the extent to which it is a new model for organizational change and offers some suggestions as to why it appears to have become so popular. It disputes some claims to novelty and internal coherence and argues that explanations for reengineering's popularity might be sought through an externalist rather than an internalist account. That is, that its popularity might best be explained not by considering the uniqueness or 'inherent' rationality of the ideas involved, an 'internalist' account, but rather through the ways in which the purveyors of reengineering manage, in and through their accounts, to construct a series of sympathetic 'resonances' or compatibilities, an 'externalist' account. These are construed to exist between their ideas and popular opinion, or zeitgeist, and also between the novelty of the ideas and the cultural antecedents.
Theories of innovation diffusion no longer focus exclusively on explaining the rate at which innovations diffuse or the sequence in which they are adopted. They also focus on explaining why certain innovations diffuse extensively, becoming de facto standards, whereas others do so partially or not at all. Many of these theories specify a bandwagon process: a positive feedback loop in which increases in the number of adopters create stronger bandwagon pressures, and stronger bandwagon pressures, in turn, cause increases in the number of adopters. Factors affecting if and how many times this feedback loop cycles explain if and how many potential adopters jump on a bandwagon. We argue that one important factor has not yet been incorporated into theories explaining bandwagons' extent: the structure of social networks through which potential adopters of innovations find out information about these innovations which can cause them to adopt these innovations. We advance a theory of how the structure of social networks affects bandwagons' extent. We propose that both the number of network links, as well as small, seemingly insignificant idiosyncracies of their structures, can have very large effects on the extent of an innovation's diffusion among members of a social network.
While management is considered relatively immature compared to other social sciences, for over half the lifespan of the discipline, the field has been bombarded with “fads”. For the purposes of this manuscript, fads are defined as “managerial interventions which appear to be innovative, rational, and functional and are aimed at encouraging better organizational performance”. This definition draws on and integrates a number of theorists’ conceptualizations of fads. Notably, however, there is some point at which a fad sufficiently demonstrates its effectiveness in numerous and diverse settings to warrant an evolution from fad status to something which implies more permanence. This issue is addressed in a theoretical model which traces the process of fad adoption using historical bibliometric data. The model offers propositions concerning the precursors, moderators, and outcomes of adoption.
There is current interest in the competitive advantage that knowledge may provide for organizations and in the significance of knowledge workers, organizational competencies and knowledge-intensive firms. Yet the concept of knowledge is complex and its relevance to organization theory has been insufficiently developed. The paper offers a review and critique of current approaches, and outlines an alternative. First, common images of knowledge in the organizational Literature as embodied, embedded, embrained, encultured and encoded are identified and, to summarize popular writings on knowledge work, a typology of organizations and knowledge types is constructed. However, traditional assumptions about knowledge, upon which most current speculation about organizational knowledge is based, offer a compartmentalized and static approach to the subject. Drawing from recent studies of the impact of new technologies and from debates in philosophy, linguistics, social theory and cognitive science, the second part of the paper introduces an alternative. Knowledge (or, more appropriately, knowing) is analyzed as an active process that is mediated, situated, provisional, pragmatic and contested. Rather than documenting the types of knowledge that capitalism currently demands the approach suggests that attention should be focused on the (culturally located) systems through which people achieve their knowing, on the changes that are occurring within such systems, and on the processes through which new knowledge may be generated.
Long a fruitful area of scrutiny for students of organizations, the study of institutions is undergoing a renaissance in contemporary social science. This volume offers, for the first time, both often-cited foundation works and the latest writings of scholars associated with the "institutional" approach to organization analysis. In their introduction, the editors discuss points of convergence and disagreement with institutionally oriented research in economics and political science, and locate the "institutional" approach in relation to major developments in contemporary sociological theory. Several chapters consolidate the theoretical advances of the past decade, identify and clarify the paradigm's key ambiguities, and push the theoretical agenda in novel ways by developing sophisticated arguments about the linkage between institutional patterns and forms of social structure. The empirical studies that followinvolving such diverse topics as mental health clinics, art museums, large corporations, civil-service systems, and national politiesillustrate the explanatory power of institutional theory in the analysis of organizational change. Required reading for anyone interested in the sociology of organizations, the volume should appeal to scholars concerned with culture, political institutions, and social change.
Construction industry researchers tend to oversimplify the role of the client in the construction management process. This partly results from the propensity of researchers to use ‘broadcast’ survey method approaches which typically achieve shallow penetration of the client's world. Obtaining access to critical data involves a different relationship between researcher and client. When the client is seen as complex rather than unitary, the history and prehistory of the project loom large. What has occurred in the past can have a crucial effect on the operations of the project team assembled to manage the construction. A pilot study to test the feasibility of obtaining valid information from building clients is described. Twenty ‘points’ or hypotheses about the client's role in construction management are advanced and are to be tested in a forthcoming major study.
This paper examines the reasons for the apparently powerful impact of management gurus' ideas (i.e. guru theory) on senior managers. An examination of the limited literature on management gurus and other related literatures suggests three explanations for the appeal of guru theory for senior managers. The first set of explanations relates to various features of management work which may heighten managers' receptivity to guru ideas. The second set focuses on the gurus themselves and emphasizes the form in which they are presented (i.e. public performances). The final set of explanations highlights the importance of the socioeconomic and cultural context within which guru theories emerge and become widely adopted. A number of criticisms of these explanations are offered: that they define the manager as passive, that the flow of ideas is one way (guru to manager), that they rely on an academic conception of knowledge. An alternative explanation of their success is outlined which suggests that their work – their analyses, presentations and theories – offer attractive conceptions of the role of managers which constitute the identity of the modern senior manager as an heroic, transformative leader. Gurus therefore not only constitute the organizational realities but also managers themselves
This paper provides a review of recent changes in buyer-supplier relations. We comment on the apparently changing nature of industrial transactions and the move towards a new model of buyer-supplier relations based on closer interfirm collaboration, quality assurance, and flexible delivery systems. In distinction to those who claim a break has been made with past industrial practices, our review of the fragmentary evidence indicates that the adoption and implementation of new buyer-supplier relations is, at best, partial. We also comment on some of the constraints which are inhibiting the development of buyer-supplier practices.
Merchants of meaning: management consulting in the Swedish public sector
- B Czarniawska-Joerges
- Abrahamson E.
- Abrahamson E.