Yuventi, J; Levitt, R and Robertson, H (2013) Organizational barriers to productivity and innovation in large-scale, U.S.-based photovoltaic system construction projects. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 139(10): 06013003, ISSN 0733-9364
Abstract
It is important to understand how contemporary organizational structures and behaviors might affect the ability of construction companies to expand into new project types. An attempt is made to develop this understanding by exploring the engineering and construction activities associated with a fairly new, but rapidly growing, project type: large-scale photovoltaic systems, focusing on considerations related to electrical wiring. Drawing from direct involvement and structured observation of over 50 large-scale, U.S.-based photovoltaic projects, it is illustrated how business processes that have negatively impacted conventional projects - such as commercial buildings - also limit productivity and innovation in these new project types. It is asserted that this is a direct result of trained incapacities and other suboptimal organizational constructs that restrict behavioral adaptation toward new projects.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | organizational issues; photovoltaic systems; project networks |
| Index terms: | construction company, productivity, adaptation, construction activity, commercial building, construction project, organizational issue, photovoltaic, organizational structure, project network, drawing |
| Subjects: | business, energy systems, production management, technical documentation, project planning, user focus, construction operations, organization, management, sociology, construction type |
| Topics: | Design Practice, Sustainability, Construction Technology, Site Management, Organizational Design, Business Strategy, Project Management |
| Descriptive scope: | 2 PC |
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