Spearman, P (2015) Using sustainable development as a competitive strategy. DBA thesis, Walden University, USA.
Abstract
Sustainable development reduces construction waste by 43%, generating 50% cost savings. Residential construction executives lacking adequate knowledge regarding the benefits of sustainable development practices are at a competitive disadvantage. Drawing from the diffusion of innovation theory, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore knowledge acquisition within the bounds of sustainable residential construction. The purposive sample size of 11 executive decision makers fulfilled the sample size requirements and enabled the extraction of meaningful data. Participants were members of the National Home Builders Association and had experience of a minimum of 5 years in residential construction. The research question addressed how to improve knowledge acquisition relating to the cost benefits of building green homes and increase the adoption rate of sustainable development among residential builders. Data were collected via semistructured telephone interviews, field observation, and document analysis. Transcribed data were validated via respondent validation, coded into 5 initial categories aligned to the focus of the research, then reduced to 3 interlocking themes of environment, competitive advantage, and marketing. Recommendations include developing comprehensive public policies, horizontal and vertical communications networks, and green banks to capitalize sustainable development programs to improve the diffusion of green innovation as a competitive advantage strategy. Business leaders could benefit from this data by integrating sustainable development practices into their business processes. Sustainable development reduces operational costs, increases competitive advantage for builders, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Implications for social change increase energy independence through conservation and developing a legislative policy template for comprehensive energy strategies. A comprehensive energy strategy promotes economic development, technological gains in all business sectors within the energy industry, and reduces energy costs for consumers.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Thesis advisor: | Lentz, C |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | case study; competitive advantage; competitive strategy; conservation; diffusion of innovation; document analysis; economic development; homes; innovation; innovation theory; marketing; policy; residential; sample size; sustainable development |
| Index terms: | greenhouse gas emission, program, validation, public policy, competitive strategy, interview, economic development, energy cost, strategy, sustainable development, drawing, builder, innovation theory, knowledge acquisition, residential construction, marketing, executive, cost saving, construction waste, diffusion of innovation, conservation, competitive advantage, energy industry, case study, sample size, energy strategy, document analysis, communications network |
| Subjects: | industry analysis, cost management, student development, environmental health, management, economics, software systems, construction integration, professional development, technical documentation, energy systems, data science, data collection methods, research design and methodology, business, market analysis, networking, economic development, theoretical framing, health safety and environment, environmental policy, public policy, economic analysis, waste management, practitioner |
| Topics: | Information Management, Research Practice, Cost Management, Business Strategy, Governance, Roles and Professions, Digital Applications, Design Practice, Health and Safety, Sustainability, Education |
| 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