Oti-Sarpong, K; Pärn, E A; Burgess, G and Zaki, M (2022) Transforming the construction sector: An institutional complexity perspective. Construction Innovation, 22(2), pp. 361-387. ISSN 1471-4175
Abstract
Purpose: Government initiatives to improve construction have increasingly become more focused on introducing a repertoire of technologies to transform the sector. In the literature on construction industry transformation through policy-backed initiatives, how firms will respond to the demands to adopt and use innovative technologies and approaches is taken for granted, and there is scarcely any attention given to the institutional implications of transformation agenda. The purpose of this paper is to discuss these gaps and offer directions for future research. Design/methodology/approach: Following a synthesis of literature on the UK’s industry transformation agenda, the authors use the concepts of institutional logics, arrangements, complexity and strategic responses to suggest seven research questions that are at the nexus of policy-backed transformation and institutional theory. Findings: In this paper, the authors argue that increasing demands for the adoption and use of digital technologies, platforms, manufacturing approaches and other “industry-4.0”-related technologies will reconfigure existing logics and arrangements in the construction industry, creating a problem of institutional complexity for general contracting firms in particular. Originality/value: The questions are relevant for our understanding of the nature of institutional complexities, change, strategic firm responses, field-level dynamics and implications for the construction industry in relation to the transformation agenda. This paper is positioned to spur future research towards exploring the consequences of industry transformation through the lens of institutional theory.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | BIM; construction engineering management; construction management; construction technology; innovation; open manufacturing/offsite construction |
| Index terms: | complexity, open manufacturing, construction engineering management, construction sector, digital technology, methodology, government initiatives, institutional logic, construction technology, construction industry, dynamics, transformation, platform, institutional theory, industry transformation |
| Subjects: | project management theory and practice, digital design, manufacturing engineering, theoretical framing, research methods, industry analysis, political science, systems engineering, sociology, computing systems, business, digital engineering, organization |
| Topics: | Governance, Business Strategy, Project Management, Research Practice, Engineering Principles, Digital Applications |
| 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