Innovation and the Sociology of Technology
Start Date: May 2006
End Date: April 2010
Project Status: Current
Within the construction sector there is a growing appreciation that innovation is key to improving performance and that new technologies and processes should play a crucial role in reconfiguring the sector. There is also a persistent myth as to its inability to effectively utilise new tools and ideas in order to improve performance. Government rhetoric calling for wholesale change of the ways that construction work is undertaken reinforces this view.
However, despite this there is comparatively little academic research which concentrates specifically on the processes through which different sorts of innovations are fostered, implemented and embedded in practice. Qualitative approaches offer a way to provide grounded and contextualised understanding of the activities of practitioners in the sector and the processes through which innovations are introduced and put to use.
The project encompasses a number of complementary research strands, described below, and informed by sociology, and especial the sociology of technology. Each strand considers how heterogeneous actors and technological artefacts are aligned or associated into complex socio-technical practices and socio-technical systems. Although such perspectives have found purchase in organisational studies and information systems, they have not had the same impact within construction management research. Within this research, particular focus is given to the role of ‘users’ in processes of developing technologies and producing new ways of working and the production and circulation of information and knowledge within and between construction activities, actors and organisations.
Developer, Vendor and User Interactions in Construction innovation: As the price to performance ratio of IT has significantly shifted, a huge array of software is now available for use in construction design. However, the dynamics of the competitive markets in which these products are placed generate problems of a lack of interoperability between products, and have led to an on-going cycle of feature updates and revisions, often at the expense of understanding and addressing the specific challenges of using these technologies in practices. This can create a mismatch between the requirements of users, and the products made available to them. To better understand this, this project focuses empirically on the on-going development of CAD software, following the interactions and iterations between developers, vendors and users over time. The primary aim is to identifying different mechanisms through which users influence development or innovation as well as how developers account for and incorporate these into their products.
Standards and Standardising Socio-Technical Systems in Construction Work: For collaborative technologies, standardised practices are vital to ensure compatibility across different users. But often the lifespan of such practices do not extend beyond specific projects. Industry standards are often promoted as addressing this problem, but the wide array of alternatives, and the tailoring done when adopting them prevents coherent practices developing. This project looks in detail at the processes involved in developing, adopting and using standard ways of working. It does so through a case study of a standard – called BS 1192 2007. It charts its development and transition to becoming a British Standard, and examines the ways it is being adopted and diffused by different organisations. The aim of the study is to enhance understanding of the transformation of ‘standards’ as they circulate across organisations and projects.
Benefiting From Data Production and Management Across the Whole Life construction Supply Chain: The application and exploitation of emerging technologies for managing the construction process has been partial at best. Project based initiatives often fail to become embedded within organisational practice or be carried over to subsequent projects. This project seeks to address this problem through better coordination between organisation level procurement practice, and project level design activity, with a specific focus of government procured construction work. A three year study which is specifically industry focussed, it involves over 10 partners from across the supply chain, and currently funding from the Technology Strategy Board in the order of £3 million is being sought.
Virtual and Augmented Realities: Developing Environments for Managing the Building Process: This project, in collaboration with Dr Jennifer Whyte and the Advanced Computing and Emerging Technologies Centre at Reading, uses state of the art virtual and augmented reality technologies to investigate the ways that various design, construction and operations management (OM) information can be represented and used. Initially the focus is on OM applications. Current research under the title Visualising object-oriented data in virtual environments: A fresh perspective is using 3D models of complex environments such as plant rooms to develop new ways of utilising immersive environments and augmented reality applications for assessing layouts and operational requirements before the facilities are constructed on site. This ‘virtual troubleshooting’ can avoid costly reworking on site. In addition, by linking various components to extended data such as specifications, part numbers and servicing schedules, these technologies can be used for the operation and maintenance of the built facility.
Visualising object-orientated data in virtual environments: A fresh perspective, click here
Building Information Models: Development, Application, Benefits and Challenges, click here
To find out more about Dr Chris Harty, please click here