Zhou, S (2017) Project learning, knowledge transfer and the adoption of innovation in project-based organizations. PhD thesis, University of Nottingham, UK.
Abstract
This doctoral thesis aims to explore the innovation adoption process in project-based organizations. In particular, I developed a theoretical framework that explains how intra- and inter- project learning influenced by different management practices. I further generated various hypotheses based on the conceptual framework by conducting qualitative interviews. Empirically, I used survey data to test those hypotheses. I collected data from 147-construction industry, most of the companies were contractors and real estate companies. The results strongly support our hypotheses and suggest that different management practices facilitate different types, i.e. tacit and explicit, knowledge transfer among projects and it further influences speed of innovation adoption and speed of innovation routinization. This dissertation contributes to management theory and practice by establishing a comprehensive framework which explains how different types of knowledge flows among different types of projects, i.e. innovative and routine projects, finally influence innovation adoption behavior of project-based organizations. Overall, this research has important implications for how project-based organizations can enhance innovation adoption and routinization to realize the economies of repetition.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | innovation; interview; knowledge flow; learning; management theory; real estate; survey |
| Index terms: | management practice, knowledge transfer, management theory, conceptual framework, knowledge flow, interview, routine, survey, project-based organization, real estate, construction industry, dissertation, innovation adoption |
| Subjects: | theoretical framing, organization, research dissemination and communication, innovation studies, knowledge management, management, sociology, industry analysis, data collection methods, real estate economics |
| Topics: | Information Management, Research Practice, Business Strategy, Urban Studies, Digital Applications, Organizational Design |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
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