Puddicombe, M S and Johnson, B (2011) Research and theory building in construction management. International Journal of Construction Education and Research, 7(2), pp. 126-142. ISSN 1557-8771
Abstract
Research in construction management is at an important juncture. Construction scholars are establishing research streams that are complimentary but distinct from architecture and engineering. The applied nature of construction research has put an emphasis on normative research. This has resulted in the lack of a solid foundation of descriptive research that can support theory building. This paper proposes that management research, due to its catholic nature, offers an appropriate reference discipline for construction. It presents an integrated model for construction research and theory development that results from the experiences of management researchers. Lastly it concludes with the development of an empirically developed taxonomy of management types that crosses functional barriers and demonstrates the validity of the model. The paper suggests and the study demonstrates that a process that builds on theory and that employs approaches from management research holds significant promise for research in construction management.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | cluster analysis; project success; taxonomy; theory building; theory development |
| Index terms: | theory building, management research, cluster analysis, stream, validity, project success, integrated model, taxonomy |
| Subjects: | analytical methods, evaluation and assessment methods, data analysis and analytics, data science, research design and methodology, water management, project management theory and practice |
| Topics: | Research Practice, Information Management, Project Management, Sustainability |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCA |
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