Mahdiputra, S; Giddings, B; Hogg, K and Daws, M (2005) Investigating learning in construction organizations. In: Khosrowshahi, F (ed.) Proceedings of 21st Annual ARCOM Conference, 7-9 September 2005, London, UK.
Abstract
Learning in construction has received scant attention within extant theories of generic organizational learning. One of the apparently distinct characteristics of construction organization is that its business mainly runs through projects. In contrast, the origin of the organizational learning concept mainly stems from routine-based organizations. The present study investigates how these theories are applied in the construction domain. To be more specific, it focuses on contracting organizations that engage with the UK performance enhancement initiative known as Constructing Excellence. The paper summarises the theoretical perspective on the current state of knowledge about this topic and the full methodology to be adopted. In overall terms, the methodology takes a multifaceted approach involving six major stages. The first phases of this process are now complete. It takes the form of a business audit relating to the type and size of projects currently being undertaken and how the project teams are managed. In themselves, the results contain new empirical data that has informed the direction of the rest study. Two general groups of construction companies were identified: general contractors and specialist/subcontractors. Each of these groups has a different tendency for how they manage their project teams. The former tends to reform for each new project, while the latter favours staying together. The initial premise is that each of these practices implies different learning mechanisms. Further study and analysis will depart from these initial findings.
| Item Type: | Conference Paper (Paper) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | construction companies; learning organization; learning mechanism; organizational learning; project-based learning |
| Index terms: | general contractor, construction company, audit, construction organization, organizational learning, routine, contracting organization, subcontractor, project team, methodology, project-based learning |
| Subjects: | sociology, performance measurement, research methods, professional development, project delivery, organization, practitioner, learning methods |
| Topics: | Research Practice, Project Management, Information Management, Business Strategy, Roles and Professions, Quality Management, Education, Organizational Design |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCT |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here