Larsson, J; Eriksson, P E; Lingegård, S and Järvenpää, A T (2022) Innovation outcomes and processes in infrastructure projects–a co mparative study of design-build and design-build-maintenance contracts. Construction Management and Economics, 40(2), pp. 142-156. ISSN 01446193
Abstract
Innovation is often seen as essential for long-term development in the construction industry, but its actual outcomes and processes in construction projects require more attention. Many studies on procurement strategies and delivery systems have focussed on the public transport infrastructure sector, whereas most construction innovation scholars have addressed the innovation phenomenon in construction generally. Thus, the purpose of this study is to compare how two delivery systems, design-build (DB) and design-build-maintenance (DBM), influence project-level innovation. Findings are based on empirical data from a multiple case study of six infrastructure projects, three with DB contracts and three with DBM contracts, in which 12 innovations are identified, described, and compared. The findings show that various kinds of innovations in terms of outcomes and processes are implemented in infrastructure projects, and that the delivery system do effect both dimensions. Long maintenance responsibilities tend to spur contractors to engage in early exploration of sustainable solutions that could be of long-term benefit. The research contributes to procurement literature by exemplifying how delivery systems influence both the outcomes and processes of project-level innovations. It also increases our knowledge about construction innovation as a multi-dimensional phenomenon.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | case study; construction innovation; delivery system; design-build; life-cycle perspective; maintenance; project-level |
| Index terms: | case study, procurement strategy, construction industry, infrastructure project, dimension, public transport, maintenance contract, exploration, construction project, construction innovation, infrastructure sector |
| Subjects: | production management, maintenance engineering, industry analysis, infrastructure and transport systems, building construction, data collection methods, health monitoring assessment and metrics, contractual arrangements, environmental resource management |
| Topics: | Urban Studies, Engineering Principles, Research Practice, Project Management, Health and Safety, Business Strategy, Sustainability, Procurement |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTE |
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