Loosemore, M (2013) Serendipitous innovation: Enablers and barriers in the construction industry. In: Smith, S D and Ahiaga-Dagbui, D D (eds.) Proceedings of 29th Annual ARCOM Conference, 2-4 September 2013, Reading, UK.
Abstract
Serendipity has played a large part in the lives of many successful innovators but has been neglected from traditional neo-classical theories and models of strategy and innovation. Yet as the business world becomes more complex, uncertain and interconnected, there is accumulating evidence that innovation will be just as likely to arise from unexpected serendipitous insights as from deterministically planned innovation strategies. Building on this evidence, the enablers and barriers to serendipity in construction industry are discussed. Through in-depth semi structured interviews with thirty two leading innovators and policy makers in the Australian construction industry, these enablers are tested against the realities of practice in the construction industry. New insights are provided into the potential barriers which could prevent managers harnessing the serendipitous opportunities which lie untapped in the increasing randomness, connectivity and uncertainty which will characterize their future world.
| Item Type: | Conference Paper (Paper) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | innovation; serendipity; risk; strategy |
| Index terms: | construction industry, innovation strategy, evidence, strategy, manager, connectivity, interview |
| Subjects: | management, networking, industry analysis, evaluation and assessment methods, data collection methods, business, practitioner |
| Topics: | Digital Applications, Business Strategy, Research Practice, Roles and Professions |
| 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