Jones, K (2019) A framework for assessing interventions to promote the implementation of material innovations on construction projects. PhD thesis, University College London, UK.
Abstract
Recent research has highlighted that the UK construction industry must accelerate the implementation of novel material solutions (NMS) with low embodied greenhouse gases (GHG) onto projects to decouple growth in construction activity from embodied GHG emissions. To reduce the risks in this process of transition, there is a need to examine the unsystematic promotion of interventions to encourage NMS implementation. Autoethnography was used with constructivist grounded theory in an abductive exploration of construction NMS (non-)implementation, synthesising qualitative data from interviews, surveys, participatory and non-participatory observations with the existing literature. Adopting the specification decision as the appropriate unit of analysis, the research applied a novel morphogenetic perspective of structure and agency to develop a new framework in which the NMS specification decision could be located and assessed. The framework contributes to both theory and practice by allowing a systematic exploration of the specification decision and its elaborating impacts enabling the selection of case-appropriate interventions to influence project actors' capability, opportunity and motivations to implement NMS on projects. The research provides insights for policy makers, practitioners and researchers wishing to promote NMS. The model highlights the critical influence of the timing of sanctionable project decisions, the availability of sufficient project resources, and the client's project performance objectives on successful NMS implementation on projects.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Thesis advisor: | Stegemann, J and Mills, G |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | client; grounded theory; interview; motivation; policy; project performance; UK |
| Index terms: | greenhouse gas, agency, practitioner, construction project, exploration, motivation, survey, specification, interview, construction industry, implementation, project performance, grounded theory, construction activity, promotion |
| Subjects: | industry analysis, sociology, contractual condition, project management theory and practice, management, data collection methods, production management, theoretical framing, construction operations, contractual arrangements, psychology, environmental resource management, practitioner, climate science |
| Topics: | Procurement, Sustainability, Project Management, Roles and Professions, Research Practice, Site Management, Contract Administration, Human Resources |
| 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