Robertson, Aaron D (2026) Towards a new housebuilding paradigm: A systems theory approach to supply chain reconfiguration. PhD thesis, University of Salford, UK.
Abstract
Housebuilding is often conflated with the construction sector, yet this research identifies that is it is fundamentally different in its purpose and organisation, and in fact should operate as its own distinct sector and research field.While construction encompasses a wide range of diverse, bespoke projects, residential housebuilding faces the different challenge of delivering at scale, requiring both high volume and consistent output. Project-based structures, while offering diversification, inherently limit the sector's ability to achieve the scale and consistency needed to meet growing housing demand. Despite this, the housebuilding sector largely continues to operate through these discrete, project-based systems, prioritising short-term flexibility over repeatability further constraining efforts to achieve standardisation and efficiency.Drawing on systems thinking, the study identifies production theories, in particular, mass customisation as a more appropriate model for future housebuilding, allowing the sector to balance efficiency with the ability to tailor homes to diverse user and market needs.Achieving this, requires a fundamental reconfiguration of supply chain structures and practices. Current supply chain, characterised by the project management approach with short-term contractual arrangements and limited integration, are not conducive to the collaborative and long-term environments necessary for a transition to mass customisation. The paper therefore highlights the need to reconceptualise the supply chain design in volume driven housebuilding, underpinned by systems thinking, as a critical enabler for addressing housing demand. By investigating the transition from project-centric fragmentation towards long-term, integrated networks capable of supporting scalable delivery, the study contributes to ongoing debates around industrialisation in housebuilding. The research contributes to these debates by framing housebuilding as a distinct system, advancing mass customisation as a guiding paradigm, and identifying interdependent supply chain processes that can support scalable housing delivery.Realising this vision therefore requires reconfiguring the embedded supply chain practices in the sector. As such this study offers a new framework to support researchers and practitioners to shift from transient, transactional project supply chains to long-term, integrated networks capable of supporting standardisation, knowledge transfer, and collaborative innovation necessary for mass customisation.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Thesis advisor: | Polychronakis, Yiannis and Sapountzis, Stylianos |
| Index terms: | efficiency, prioritizing, mass customization, project management, housebuilding, diversification, paradigm, standardization, face, industrialization, fragmentation, drawing, housing delivery, supply chain process, framing, systems thinking, construction sector, systems theory, housing, integration, practitioner, knowledge transfer, reconfiguration |
| Subjects: | project management theory and practice, construction integration, performance management, education and knowledge transfer, performance measurement, industry analysis, decision analysis, organizational analysis, supply chain performance, business, technical documentation, theoretical framing, economic development, manufacturing engineering, housing and residential development, market analysis, practitioner, organization, research dissemination and communication, construction type, analytical methods, conceptual models, psychology |
| Topics: | Organizational Design, Design Practice, Urban Studies, Digital Applications, Roles and Professions, Construction Technology, Business Strategy, Research Practice, Quality Management, Supply Chain Management, Risk Management, Sustainability, 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