Collinge, W H (2025) Advancing social practice understandings of digital innovation delivery in construction project management. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 32(7), pp. 4611-4630. ISSN 0969-9988
Abstract
Purpose: The paper aims to apply social practice theory to clarify the process of innovation design and delivery from one successful digital innovation: the building information modelling (BIM) risk library. The paper clarifies the practices surrounding construction innovation and provides a schema useful for practitioners and technology designers through a social practice analysis. Design/methodology/approach: The paper applies Schatzki's "organisation of practice" concepts to a construction project innovation to clarify how the practice of innovation revolves around understandings, rules and teleoaffectivities (emotive behaviours). Sources for the study include notes from meetings, workshops with experts and the shared artefacts of innovation. Findings: The practice of innovation design and delivery are clarified through a social practice analysis: a distinct "field of practice" and a "schema" of generalisable prescriptions and preferences for innovation delivery being presented. Practical implications: The paper informs the practice and process of innovation design and delivery; the insights clarify how collective understandings and rules of use evolve over time, becoming formalised into contracts, agreements and workplans. Practically, processes whereby innovation "sayings" evolve into innovation "doings" are clarified: a schema detailing prescriptions and preferences of practitioners and developers being presented. Originality/value: The social practice analysis of one successful construction innovation is an original contribution to the body of knowledge, adding a level of detail regarding innovation design and delivery often missing from reported research.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | BIM; building information modelling; data engineering; digitalisation; health and safety; innovation studies; projects-as-practice; social practices |
| Index terms: | designer, building information modelling, social practice theory, becoming, workshop, agreements, prescription, construction project management, health and safety, level of detail, digitalization, preference, body of knowledge, construction innovation, methodology, construction project, practitioner, artefact, social practice |
| Subjects: | philosophical process, building construction, health safety and environment, production management, research methods, decision-making and reasoning, medical science and clinical practice, theoretical framing, knowledge management, digital technology, practitioner, construction type, information systems, sociology, project management theory and practice, social theory, technical documentation, contract formation, profession |
| Topics: | Research Practice, Information Management, Roles and Professions, Construction Technology, Design Practice, Digital Applications, Contract Administration, Health and Safety, Project Management, Engineering Principles |
| 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