A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
Client strategies for stimulating innovation in construction
The construction industry is often described as a fragmented, loosely coupled industry, slow to innovate and lacking in productivity. In order to address these issues, the role of client organizations is commonly acknowledged as a key actor for change. However, what this role constitutes of is less clear e.g. questions arise such as: should innovation be mainly supplier-led or client-led? The aim of the research is to explore different strategies clients can adapt in realizing innovation in transportation infrastructure. The method used to fulfil the aim can be described as a case study performed at the Sweden's largest transportation infrastructure client, exploring two strategies deployed simultaneously to stimulate innovation. The organization is on the one hand trying to stimulate innovation through providing more flexibility in projects, enabling suppliers to propose new solutions and emphasising competition on the market; while on the other hand, found in the implementation of Building Information Modelling (BIM), the client is trying to dictate demands and actively influencing the supply chain, which builds on innovation being actively led by the client. Although the strategies essentially deal with different types of innovation, either a known innovation in the case of BIM, or an unknown innovation for the client organization; the research finds that the simultaneous use of both these strategies has created tensions within the organization, causing the favouring of one strategy over the other. The findings provide insights in different strategies clients can use in order to stimulate innovation.
Client strategies for stimulating innovation in construction
The construction industry is often described as a fragmented, loosely coupled industry, slow to innovate and lacking in productivity. In order to address these issues, the role of client organizations is commonly acknowledged as a key actor for change. However, what this role constitutes of is less clear e.g. questions arise such as: should innovation be mainly supplier-led or client-led? The aim of the research is to explore different strategies clients can adapt in realizing innovation in transportation infrastructure. The method used to fulfil the aim can be described as a case study performed at the Sweden's largest transportation infrastructure client, exploring two strategies deployed simultaneously to stimulate innovation. The organization is on the one hand trying to stimulate innovation through providing more flexibility in projects, enabling suppliers to propose new solutions and emphasising competition on the market; while on the other hand, found in the implementation of Building Information Modelling (BIM), the client is trying to dictate demands and actively influencing the supply chain, which builds on innovation being actively led by the client. Although the strategies essentially deal with different types of innovation, either a known innovation in the case of BIM, or an unknown innovation for the client organization; the research finds that the simultaneous use of both these strategies has created tensions within the organization, causing the favouring of one strategy over the other. The findings provide insights in different strategies clients can use in order to stimulate innovation.
Client strategies for stimulating innovation in construction
Guerrero, Jacob Rudolphsson (author) / Lindblad, Hannes (author)
2018-01-01
Conference paper
Electronic Resource
English
DDC:
690
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