Rose, T M and Manley, K (2014) Revisiting the adoption of innovative products on Australian road infrastructure projects. Construction Management and Economics, 32(9), pp. 904-917. ISSN 01446193
Abstract
Construction product innovation can exert a positive influence on project and industry performance. However, guidance is scarce on product innovation diffusion for road infrastructure, in contrast to the large body of literature on the manufacturing industry. A conceptual framework is proposed to understand these processes. Advice is given to managers based on the framework and a large quantitative survey. The framework focuses on contextual characteristics that influence the decision to adopt new-to-industry product innovation, as part of a diffusion process. Case study data are interpreted within the revised framework to test its value and disaggregate the broad obstacles to innovation. A large quantitative survey was then conducted to rank the relative importance of the obstacles constraining the adoption of innovative products on road construction projects. The three most important obstacles were found to be: (1) overemphasis on up-front project costs during tender stage; (2) disagreement over who carries the risk of new product failure; and (3) adversarial contract relations. The results suggest refinements to the conceptual framework to make it a more powerful tool for categorizing and analysing construction innovation obstacles. Results also suggest well-resourced repeat interactions within complementary procurement and regulatory systems will enhance the project teams' ability to recognize and address innovation obstacles. Further, improved relationships are expected to decrease the need for an overly conservative approach to product approval and prescriptive specifications.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | innovation diffusion; obstacles; products; road construction |
| Index terms: | innovation diffusion, approval, relative importance, manager, regulatory system, manufacturing industry, project cost, survey, conceptual framework, construction innovation, construction product, prescriptive specification, case study, product innovation, tender stage, road construction, infrastructure project, interaction, industry performance, project team |
| Subjects: | contractual role, risk assessment, data collection methods, practitioner, innovation studies, economic analysis, project delivery, civil engineering, economics, tendering, theoretical framing, sociology, building construction, political science, financial analysis, behavioral psychology, infrastructure and transport systems, industry analysis |
| Topics: | Contract Administration, Engineering Principles, Project Management, Research Practice, Cost Management, Business Strategy, Governance, Procurement, Roles and Professions, Risk Management |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCEA |
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