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1.
  • Koch, Christian, 1958, et al. (author)
  • Radical Sustainable Innovation of office buildings
  • 2017
  • In: Proceedings of the 9th Nordic Conference on Construction Economics and Organization. - 9788750211259
  • Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
    • The recent development of technologies, processes and methods of sustainable building has enabled anunprecedented quantum leap in the available solutions. These possibilities could be interpreted asradical, yet they appear at a time as results of a long emergent development. The aim of this paper is tocritically scrutinize, theoretically and empirically, whether radical innovation is occurring insustainable building and what the implication are.The theoretical framework is based on concepts ofradical innovation, inventions and sustainability. Radical sustainable innovation (RSI) should becharacterized by high degrees of newness in the entire life cycle. RSI should offer significantenhancements of known benefits, entirely new benefits, or substantial cost reductions, leading to thetransformation of existing markets, the creation of sustainable growth, and global sustainability. Thus,if buildings were RSI, it would be a shift in paradigm of how buildings are designed, build andused.Serious limitations on these notions are addressed. Buildings are large complex products realisedthrough complex processes and with a long lifecycle. It appears impossible that an entire buildingshould/could be radically new. How to evaluate radicality is a major challenge. It is tentativelyproposed, to use standards for sustainable office buildings. Standards are developed to accelerate thesustainable development but has to some extent come to constrain possibilities of radical innovation.As the criteria of newness is incorporated in standards, going beyond them, could be viewed as radical.Empirically a selection of international cases of office buildings with very high scores of BREEAM,LEED and DGNB are examined. Six selected cases were analysed more in detail, one ofthem,GeelensCounterflow’s Headquarters, being the most outstanding.This handful of office buildingshave reached remarkable higher level of sustainability than contemporary building regulations. Thereisindeed a gap between these few buildings and the majority, making them more radical, yet due toweak social sustainability, they are not evaluated as radical innovation.
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2.
  • Koch-ørvad, Nina, et al. (author)
  • Murmuration as metaphor for sustainable innovation processes
  • 2018
  • In: Proceeding of the 34th Annual ARCOM Conference, ARCOM 2018. ; , s. 179-188
  • Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
    • The construction industry stands before an extensive and essential transition towards sustainability; however, the configuration of the innovation processes that lead to such transition is unclear. In this paper, the concept of murmuration, i.e. the collective behaviour of starlings, is introduced as a metaphor for sustainable innovation processes in construction. The murmuration metaphor captures the flowing, ever-changing non-structure that characterises innovation processes within sustainable construction. This conceptual hypothesis is based on an empirical observation, and the potentials of the metaphor are explored at two interdisciplinary workshops with actors from the Danish construction industry. The empirical validation shows that the murmuration metaphor can generate a useful framework for understanding and discussing sustainable innovation processes in construction. Furthermore, murmuration can be a fruitful addition to the understanding of the societal transition towards sustainability as an elaboration of the niche-to-regime processes emphasised in the Multi-Level Perspective.
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3.
  • Koch-ørvad, Nina, et al. (author)
  • Transforming Ecosystems: Facilitating Sustainable Innovations Through the Lineage of Exploratory Projects
  • 2019
  • In: Project Management Journal. - : SAGE Publications. - 1938-9507 .- 8756-9728. ; 50:5, s. 602-616
  • Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
    • Radical innovations are essential for the sustainable transition of society; however, such innovations are struggling to establish a solid position in the ecosystem. Through a case study, the influence of the ecosystem on a radical, sustainable innovation is investigated. The study shows that the ecosystem causes bottleneck challenges for the innovation and that a lineage of exploratory projects is essential to transforming the ecosystem and thereby supporting the breakthrough of the innovation. A model for lineage ecosystem management is proposed, extending and contributing to the multiproject lineage management approach, with a particular focus on radical, sustainable innovations.
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4.
  • Gottlieb, Stefan Christoffer, et al. (author)
  • Institutional logics and hybrid organizing in public-private partnerships
  • 2018
  • In: Proceeding of the 34th Annual ARCOM Conference, ARCOM 2018. ; , s. 383-392
  • Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
    • Cross-sectoral collaboration has been touted as a solution to a range of problems in various sectors. In the construction context, public-private partnerships have recently given promises of increased productivity and innovative solutions through business models combining logics and governance structures from both the public and private sectors. Little is, however, known about how partnerships are established to combine different logics in response to competing institutional demands. Drawing on a study of a municipality's efforts to create cost efficient services, we analyse the formation of two partnerships as emerging hybrid organizations in the intersection between four institutional logics. We show how different logics are mobilized in the process of shaping the partnerships in response to the institutional pluralism and complexity they face. On this background, we discuss how the contours of two different forms of hybrid organization emerged, even though the partnerships initially operated and responded similarly to the institutional demands. We conclude that partnerships can be seen as 'trading zones' that follow different trajectories in coping with institutional demands, and hence the development of hybrid organizational forms.
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5.
  • Koch, Christian, 1958, et al. (author)
  • Knowledge sharing in construction partnering - projects – redundancy, boundary objects and brokers
  • 2013
  • In: International Journal of Project Organisation and Management. - 1740-2891 .- 1740-2905. ; 5:1/2, s. 156-175
  • Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
    • This article adopts practice-based theory for understandinginter-organisational knowledge work and extends it with a discussion of the role of redundancy. In this view, a constellation of firms is a multiple configuration of communities of practices, characterised by overlappingpractises, multiple memberships and different levels of participation, and accompanied by a governance frame. The paper discusses central mechanisms for coordinating knowledge in such a complex construction project. Theknowledge relations are conceptualised through focusing on redundancy,understood as negotiated common assignment of meaning, brokers (e.g., design managers), boundary objects (e.g., drawings) and arenas (e.g., meetings). Thepaper presents an ethnographic case study of a project partnership between engineers, architects and contractors in construction using the partnering concept. The focus is on two dialogue excerpts, one on process, and one onproduct knowledge exchanges. The diversity and disjunctive feature of the practices form a condition of possibility for knowledge handling and synthesis into the built construct. Relation-based interaction is necessary with boundary objects and brokers, requisite redundancy and governance.
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6.
  • Beemsterboer, Sjouke, 1984, et al. (author)
  • A human touch: Examining the roles of middle managers for innovation in contractors
  • 2017
  • In: 33rd Annual Association of Researchers in Construction Management Conference, ARCOM 2017; Fitzwilliam CollegeCambridge; United Kingdom; 4 September 2017 through 6 September 2017. - 9780995546318 ; , s. 430-439
  • Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
    • Innovation in construction is becoming increasingly important. Many studies on construction innovation focus either on the project level or on top management. In doing so, the in between group of midlevel managers risks to be neglected. If studied, middle managers are often narrowly defined to fit the mechanistic implementation of top management ideas. This does injustice to the importance of middle managers and the variety of their roles in innovation. In this paper, we address the different roles that middle managers may adopt in relation to innovation. A literature review and a case study were conducted at a regional housing division of a large Swedish contractor. In 10 semi-structured interviews and a vision seminar the middle managers were asked to voice their perceptions about innovation in the division and about their own role. Systematisation of working practices, employee development, and health, safety and sustainability measures were perceived to be the most important innovations. Four different roles of the middle manager have been examined: implementer of change, networker, sensemaker and enabler. Most middle managers identified with different mixtures of these ideal types. On this background, we discuss how middle managers may advance these roles to contribute to innovation in housing construction.
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7.
  • Beemsterboer, Sjouke, 1984, et al. (author)
  • Building information standards: Big data technologies prevented from becoming big in building
  • 2016
  • In: Proceedings of the 32nd Annual ARCOM Conference, ARCOM 2016. ; , s. 83-92
  • Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
    • The increased use of BIM in the building sector have led certain actors to commence riding on the big data hype. Big data techniques allow the use of unstructured data alongside structured data to an extent that was previously impossible. Science and technology studies (STS) approaches are used to examine information standards as a technology to organise big data applications in building. Crucially, opportunities are strongly guided by the data that is collected about buildings, and thus by the understanding of what a building is. Building information standards are viewed as performative and their becoming as a process of power, understanding and emerging interests. The empirical material stems from a study on the shaping of a Danish classification standard and its implementation in a Danish hospital project. The analysis shows several performative aspects and particular ways in which a building can be understood: First, there is a focus on the internal structure of a building as a product and less on the process that leads to making a product. Second, a systems theory approach to building structure understands building components as having functions in a way that aligns well with the installation part of the building. Third, delimitations within which information standards propose to collect data implies a focus on building components as material over components being economical entities. Performativity struggles during the shaping of the standard are expected to continue also during its implementation phase in an environment where multiple standards co-exist. On this background we discuss whether the building information standard, meant to be a big data technology enabler, might become a barrier for big data.
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8.
  • Beemsterboer, Sjouke, 1984, et al. (author)
  • Too complex to standardise? A case study of a socially loaded pier inspection process at the port of Gothenburg
  • 2017
  • In: 9th Nordic Conference on Construction Economics and Organization 13-14 June, 2017 at Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg, SWEDEN.
  • Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
    • This paper presents a micro-level study of an organisation considering to standardise a facility management process. Standards serve an instrumental purpose in the built environment reducing complexity by promoting similarity across time and space. However, differences in practices and perceptions of involved actors can make standardisation a complex endeavour itself, limiting its effectiveness as a mode of governance. Science and technology studies (STS) approaches are used to study standards in the inspection process. Standardisation is understood in this study as performative and a process of power, understanding, and emerging interests. The empirical material stems from a case study of a pier facility management process at the port of Gothenburg. Ten semi-structured interviews were conducted with actors involved in the inspection process – asset managers, structural engineers, inspectors and a document controller. Additional observations made during pier inspections and project meetings at the port were used to develop the context of the study. The analysis shows the multiple demands and interpretations present among involved actors prior to an attempt to standardise the pier inspection process. Asset managers and structural engineers voice a preference for guidelines that support ideal ways of working implemented using a checklist. Alternatively, inspectors wish to receive a common terminology. More strategically, the symbolic value of an ISO type standard matches a perceived need by the port management for credibility to satisfy customer demands. Simultaneously, a standard is expected to give clear directives to hired consultants, make the process more cost efficient and ensure a stable quality. The variety of interpretations and demands observed in this study underlines the social character of asset and facility management and the uses of standards. It is suggested to reflect on socio-technical conditions in standard design.
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9.
  • Bosch, Petra, 1971, et al. (author)
  • Teknikkonsulter med och utan globaliseringsstrategier - en förstudie
  • 2016
  • In: Kortrapport om forskning, CMB.
  • Journal article (other academic/artistic)abstract
    • Rapporten är resultatet av en förstudie som syftar till att belysa svenska teknikkonsulters aktuella erfarenheter av globala samarbeten. Rapporten inleds med en översikt av forskningslitteratur och presenterar två olika exempel på företagens metoder. Rapporten fokuserar på strategiska överväganden, samt på möjligheter och hinder i samband med dessa.
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10.
  • Buser, Martine, 1967, et al. (author)
  • 1. Is this none of the contractor’s business? Social Sustainability Challenges informed by popular literature
  • 2014
  • In: Construction Management and Economics. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1466-433X .- 0144-6193. ; 32:7-8, s. 749-759
  • Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
    • In Sweden many suburbs built at the end of the 1960s are in need of physical renovation to comply with newenergy regulations. Some of these neighbourhoods face serious social challenges which also need to be tackled.The three largest Swedish contractors, usually very active in providing technical and environmentally friendlyrenovation, claim now they can provide social sustainability solutions on a commercial basis. For many yearsthe problems of deprived suburbs have attracted the attention and the care of the public institutions, and thoughmany initiatives have been carried out to address these issues, results have been sometimes quite limited. To discussthe social challenges linked to suburbs’ renovation, an alternative method is proposed: the analysis of literaryaccounts. The goal is to assess whether stories relating the lives of residents in deprived Swedish suburbs caninform and therefore contribute to the development of socially sustainable solutions. Referring to the literatureon social sustainability, this qualitative and explorative study uses critical discourse analysis as the method.Results suggest that focusing on renovated housing, employment, social services and leisure activities is notenough to rehabilitate disadvantaged neighbourhoods. They also indicate some specific problems linked to thebuilt environment that contractors could help to solve.
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11.
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12.
  • Buser, Martine, 1967, et al. (author)
  • Engineering companies strategizing globalisation
  • 2016
  • In: ARCOM Conference Manchester, September 2016. ; , s. 1089-1098
  • Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
    • The rapid globalisation of the construction market should bring new potential for the Engineering Construction (EC) industry in terms of collaboration inside and outside of the national borders. Especially, engineering outsourcing is established as a global sector practice and expected to be a booming business in the future. There is a rich literature describing possible strategy, organisational forms and set ups and potential benefits of these internationalisation processes. Besides, the challenges that these forms of cooperation may involve have also largely be identified and discussed. However, there is less focus on how these collaborations occur in practice, in particular how they are initiated and negotiated and in which context they take place. Looking at a small network of Swedish engineering companies which have been active on the globalised market, we followed their concrete considerations, choices and actions in developing contacts and creating collaboration with foreign partners. To do so, we draw on a strategy as practice approach. The practice perspective defines strategy as something performed by people opposed to something a company has, and identifies strategy as the strategic activities reiterated in time by the diverse actors interacting in an organizational context, i.e., strategizing. The empirical material consists mainly of a longitudinal case study of a small engineering company and its network trying to expand in China, complemented by the interviews of two project managers of other engineering companies who have also engaged in an internationalisation process. The results underline the lack of classical long term strategy to the favour of ad hoc solutions and the central role of project managers in creating these international projects.
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13.
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14.
  • Buser, Martine, 1967, et al. (author)
  • Eyes Wide Shut? Non Referring, Loyalty and Practical Moral in Engineering Education
  • 2012
  • In: 2012. - 9789400752818 ; , s. 253-267
  • Book chapter (other academic/artistic)abstract
    • The relationship between technology and society may be conceptualized as a seamless web in a form ofcoevolution. In modern societies, this coevolution, which includes engineering design and related ethicalissues, is largely a kind of social experiment. To prevent unnecessary problems, Martin and Schinzingersuggest that engineers should seek to act ethically. This chapter examines how engineering studentsdevelop, or not, ethical concerns and practices in their everyday work. It is based on a case study usingmixed methods and focusing on students in mentor companies during their Master’s degree program. Theeducational context is understood as a Mode 2 knowledge production representing a triangular relationshipbetween the student, the university supervisor, and the mentor company where power and authority aredistributed and shaped over time. Moreover, the student’s role is conceptualized as being a legitimateperipheral participant in engineering practices and consequently in the enactment of practical morality. Thestudents work on problem-oriented projects and deal with complex decision-making processes. Havingto face the constraints and limits of real-life project development in an organization, they struggle withina web of technical knowledge; loyalty relationships to various actors, norms, and regulations; as well asmarket demands. These tensions and their related trade-offs inherent to quick decision-making leave littlespace and time to reflect on ethical questions. Nevertheless, one can trace moral concerns in the students’processes during their studies.
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15.
  • Buser, Martine, 1967, et al. (author)
  • Interactive shaping of expertise: The play between house-owner and sme contractors negotiating renovation
  • 2019
  • In: Association of Researchers in Construction Management, ARCOM 2019 - Proceedings of the 35th Annual Conference. ; 2019, s. 104-113
  • Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
    • Most of the single-family houses, which represent a large part of the existing building stock in Sweden, perform poorly when it comes to energy efficiency and sustainability. Nevertheless, during the renovation of these houses the focus is often directed towards comfort and design. Comfort concerns or not, the first encounter between the house-owner and the contractor in charge of the renovation is an occasion where energy efficiency solutions could be introduced. In the retrofit process the main partner and consultant is often a SME contractor. In principle the SME contractors' expertise on sustainable solutions could influence the house owners' choices regarding the improvements to be made. But it is unclear how this expertise manifests itself during the interaction, moreover the house owner is also claiming expertise on his/her own house. Building on Goffman micro-sociological concepts, this paper illustrates how the expertise is dynamically built during the interactions between the house owner and SME contractor. Goffman's approach enables us to view this interaction as a public performance where the two actors demonstrate, contest, challenge and finally accept the role of expert. Expertise is therefore something shaped during the interaction, rather than a given attribute. The empirical material consists of 18 observations between house-owner and SME contractor interactions as well as 16 workshops with contractors, mainly carpenters and electricians, interested in developing new approaches to retrofit. The results show how the expertise is negotiated and embodied and how these interactions are framing the content of the renovation.
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16.
  • Buser, Martine, 1967, et al. (author)
  • Multiple institutional dynamics of sustainable housing concepts in Denmark – on the role of passive houses
  • 2012
  • In: Sociology Study. - 2159-5526. ; 2:10, s. 17-
  • Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
    • One of the central challenges of sustainable transition is the changing of our buildings. This involves social, cultural, political and regulatory dynamics.Critically using transition theory conceptualization of a world of dynamics, the paper reviews institutional theory and actor network approaches in an attempt to better account for contemporary developments in Europe, encompassing EU reforms as well as multiple competing concepts. The emergence of ‘passive houses’ in Denmark is used as a case of transition dynamics. The concept was developed in Germany and imported into Denmark. It is a technological niche, encompassing technologies, players, improvisation and early customers. Passive houses have entered into fierce competition with other future institutions such as LEED, DGNB/green building council and active houses. Passive Houses was at the outset a well-developed upcoming institution with design principles, - software, certification and numerous reference buildings, strong enough to be a challenger institution. They are promoted by a characteristic alliance of architects, consulting engineers, a few clients, and an architect school, whereas the other concepts exhibit their specific actor alliances. Yet passive houses experience barriers such as the reputation of being expensive and non-user friendly and are currently surpassed by the other concepts.
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17.
  • Buser, Martine, 1967, et al. (author)
  • Multiple institutions of diversity practices at Scandinavian building contractors
  • 2013
  • In: 22nd Nordic Academy of Management Conference (NFF) Iceland, August 2013, track 19: Pactices of diversity and gender equality.
  • Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
    • This paper analyses diversity practices in companies in three Scandinavian countries, all countries with a tendency to collapse diversity into equality, gender andimmigrant integration. Our contribution is to map andanalyze company practices and establish the multiplicityof diversity practice institutions in these three countries. An institutional approach to gender and equity including institutional pluralism is adopted. As empirical field an trditionally conservative sector is chosen, namely construction where we focus on workplace practices around management positions. While Scandinavia isleading in diversity, construction has traditionally beenrather women- and diversity proof. The three Scandinavian countries represent national institutional set-ups that enable and constrain diversity in specific ways. Based on mixed qualitative and quantitative methods encompassing 93 companies, the result shows that the female and ethnic representation among CEOs, board members and boards of directors is still very low compared to other sectors. The Nordic multinational contractors tend to exhibit the lowest representation, and the Norwegian the highest.Four competing institutions account for this: dominant male, token, voluntarist and politically correct. The Nordic multinationals represent a renewed version of white male dominance, paired with the politically correct institution. The Danish contractors exhibit the token institution, typically with one woman on the board. Norwegian contractors are similar, since the board quota law encompasses very few construction companies. Swedish contractors exhibit most political correctness, building on around 15 years of modest growth in equity representation.
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18.
  • Buser, Martine, 1967, et al. (author)
  • Social sustainability as commodity? - investigating private companies contribution to urban restructuring in Sweden
  • 2015
  • In: The 23rd Nordic Academy of Management Conference, Copenhagen DK August 2015.
  • Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
    • Creating social sustainability might prove to be the most troublesome of three in a broad societal effort for economic, environmental and social sustainability. Also globally international organisations and nation states are faced with a grave series of social problems, inequality, unemployment, poverty to mention a few. A the same time however it is clear that overnational and public efforts wont suffice, at least for two main reasons: the broad and multidimensional character of the task and the present weakness of public authorities due to neoliberal reduction of their resources.Urban development is a particular case in point of these challenges. The western cities in welfare states struggle to realise social sustainability and broad public private alliances is an often used tool. In such contexts building companies, such as architects, engineering companies and building contractors play a central role. Recently the three largest Swedish contractors have advertised social sustainability as a new competence in their social housing portfolios. They have created organisational functions related to the idea and integrated it in their strategies. Their presentation includes terms such as: attractive, safe and fair areas; social responsibility; consultation and involvement of the residents; as well as new forms of partnership and financing. In doing so, these companies have stepped aside of their traditional contractors roles as providers of technical and environmental friendly new build and renovation. This development of the contractors’ business towards societal issues brings new challenges. Based on a case study including interviews, workshops, grey publications and advertising material, we analyse how one of these companies has tried to introduce social sustainability in its organisation and why it has failed to do so. We draw on hybrid organisation and sustainable leadership approaches, in particular the concept of “ambivalent supplication” as the moment when a company is willing to engage in a sustainable process but at the same time not quite ready to leave business as usual. The results underline the following issues: the competing strategic priorities, the complexity of implementing strategy across various business functions, the lack of recognition from the financial markets, the too weak pull by the public clients and the differing definitions of sustainability across occupational cultures.
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19.
  • Buser, Martine, 1967, et al. (author)
  • Swedish poverty – An oxymoron? Taking issue with social sustainability in urban renewal
  • 2013
  • In: Proceedings of ARCOM - 29th Annual Conference, Reading, UK, 2-4 September 2013. - 9780955239076 ; , s. 1295-1305
  • Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
    • Many global cities are struggling to align urban renovation with social sustainability. In particular, solutions to the imbalance between rich and poor neighbourhoods have been difficult to find. This is also the case with the Swedish cities of Gothenburg and Malmoe. Recently large contractors have become involved with this issue, claiming they can provide social sustainability on a commercial basis. Many studies have shown that focusing on providing employment, improving social infrastructure and leisure facilities is not enough to rehabilitate the disadvantaged neighbourhoods. A framework for understanding social sustainability is proposed to facilitate further examination of such issues by analysing three biographic accounts of residents of deprived Swedish suburbs. Using critical discourse analysis, the empirical material builds on the three narratives: 1) An account of a childhood and homeless people leaving in a segregated neighbourhood; 2) the biography of an immigrant boy breaking out of the suburb environment and becoming a football star; and 3) an account of adolescence in Gothenburg and the discovery of the city centre in contrast to her home suburb. All the accounts indicate that employment and the presence of functional infrastructures did not prevent the stigmatisation linked to the authors’ residential areas. These accounts could therefore help urban developers to better understand the complex and predominantly culturally oriented set of challenges when creating social sustainability. A bottom-up approach is provided by these auto-biographical texts that could enhance innovative input to contractors' concepts of social sustainability to include issues of integration and differentiation of the type of poverty that impact contemporary Sweden.
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20.
  • Buser, Martine, 1967, et al. (author)
  • Tales of the Suburbs?-The Social Sustainability Agenda in Sweden through Literary Accounts
  • 2014
  • In: Sustainability. - : MDPI AG. - 2071-1050. ; 6:2, s. 913-934
  • Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
    • Sustainable development has become increasingly influential. In light of environmental concerns, the social dimension of sustainability is now encompassing a growing number of concerns. Together with more traditional hard concepts, including basic needs, equity, and employment, soft themes, such as greater wellbeing, are becoming significant. The present paper compares qualitatively these theoretical themes with the concrete, lived experiences of inhabitants within deprived suburbs. To do so, a framework for understanding social sustainability is proposed, and then applied to analyze three literary accounts of residents within Swedish suburbs. The three accounts are analyzed through the lens of critical discourse analysis. The results indicate that employment and functional infrastructures did not prevent the stigmatization of these residential areas. Important social and cultural segregations are occurring, supported by the physical organization of urban space. Using biographical accounts incorporates subjective and emotional perspectives usually left aside in the context of urban development. These allow a better understanding of the complex realities of these suburbs and could therefore help urban developers to better grasp the complex and predominantly culturally oriented set of challenges confronting the establishment of socially sustainable communities.
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21.
  • Buser, Martine, 1967, et al. (author)
  • Women at top level management at Contractors in Denmark and Norway
  • 2012
  • In: Smith S. (2012): Proceedings of the 28th Annual Conference. Association of Researchers in Construction Management (ARCOM).. ; 1, s. 262-272
  • Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
    • Strategic management and leadership in the building sector will gain increasing importance as globalization and shorter product lifecycles will put pressure on company competences in moving fast and agile. A broader mobilisation of human resources at the top level could be a central avenue to improve strategic management. Through new recruiting the composition of the top level management could be strengthened. Today the building industry encompasses relatively few managers with strategic management competences and women at this level are very few. The paper uses institutionalist theory to explain the dynamics in changing and developing top level management. The theoretical framework argues for five interlinked domains of the individual, the enterprise, the strategic management, the board and the environment. Institutions in all areas contribute to the experienced constraints. Based on an exploratory study of Danish and Norwegian female representation as CEOs, member of boards of directors and member of boards shows very low representation of women. Four competing institutions regarding female representation are identified the male dominant, the hostage, the voluntarist and the politically correct. The present status for the Danish contractors can be characterized as the hostage, as one woman in the board seems to be the present pattern. And Norway is less different than one should think. In Denmark as a newly launched reform encompass a strong voluntary element. An EU reform is therefore a more likely driver for politically correct institutional reform.
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22.
  • Carlsson, Veronica, 1980, et al. (author)
  • Shall we dance? Encounters for energy renovation of single family houses
  • 2014
  • In: 30th Annual Association of Researchers in Construction Management Conference, ARCOM 2014; Portsmouth; United Kingdom; 1 September 2014 through 3 September 2014. - 9780955239083 ; , s. 1163-1171
  • Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
    • In the strive for climate change mitigation and transition the building stock is a major issue to acknowledge as its energy consumption and production of carbon dioxide is significant, around 30% of the total in Sweden. Government policies, subsidies and more have therefore been applied to deal with this issue. However the bulk of efforts have focused on dwellings, office buildings, public buildings and other major installations, whereas the single family house areas have received less attention and presently even enjoy a public regulation regime which leaves up to ten years of room for manoeuver before private house owners are obliged to react. This leaves the arena for more voluntary types of renovation. Studies shows that house owners doing such renovations are prone to contact and use their local SME craftsman. The encounters between house owners and craftsmen come to impede the degree and quality of the energy renovation referring to costs, unstable and/or ineffective technologies, lack of understanding of subsidies and financial options and even general insecurity. This paper reports a local study of three craftsmen contractors and their interaction with house owners as potential customers which is part of a project with a group of participating SMEs. Through interviewing, participant observations and shadowing, the sales processes and negotiations were followed on site inside the customers house. Theoretically the study draws on Goffman's concepts of presentation of self in everyday life, performance, staging and "front". The results show a complex interactive pattern, like a dance, where limited local knowledge play a role as does subtle assumptions about cost and economic capacity. Thus rather than placing the responsibility for conservative renovation actions on either the craftsmen or the house owners, it is claimed here that the two parties are acting in a routinized play they cannot easily escape.
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23.
  • Carlsson, Veronica, 1980, et al. (author)
  • What’s so special about action research? A targeted critical review of experiential and prescriptive literature
  • 2014
  • In: EURAM 2014. - 9788469703779 ; , s. 39-
  • Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
    • A large number of organisation and management disciplines, appear to have obtained a closer relation to practices. Action Research (AR) on the other hand has a long tradition for close encounters with practice and is currently experiencing a remarkable growth in its presence in the scientific literature. The present paper aims at critically reviewing approaches of AR investigating and characterizing them. This is done in the context of an AR project aiming at engaging SMEs to develop business models including new sustainable solutions. The literature review encompasses 27 main contributions. The literature was analyzed with five criteria: scientific position, framing and degree of influence for participants, juxtaposition of domains (i.e. group, organization), democracy and power, methods and results. Five scientific positions of AR are identified: US pragmatist, critical theory, Participatory Action Research (PAR), The Scandinavian cooperation model and management. A range of methods is found including principles of democratic dialogue, group collaboration, and conferences. The linking of action and analysis is often suggested as being cyclic. The AR positions have much in common with contemporary postmodern organisation theory: Engagement with practice, appreciation of processes of change within and around organizations. Nevertheless AR appears not to have exploited this close kinship, constituting a non-explored terrain of interpretive, social construction oriented AR. Many of the weaknesses in AR, such as unclear scientific positioning, limited political discussion of the framing of research and of the researcher’s role, are shared with other research. The particular strength of AR is its systematic engagement in changing practice. The normalization of AR hopefully means that it will find an even more natural place in organisation and management studies.
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24.
  • Ellegaard, Chris, 1968, et al. (author)
  • A model of functional integration and conflict The case of purchasing-production in a construction company
  • 2014
  • In: International Journal of Operations and Production Management. - : Emerald. - 1758-6593 .- 0144-3577. ; 34:3, s. 325-346
  • Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
    • Purpose - The purpose of this article is to generate theory on how functional integration and conflict interrelate by studying the interface between production and purchasing. Design/methodology/approach - An interpretive single case research methodology is adopted. The authors rely on in-depth interviewing of managers in the production and purchasing functions of a construction company, as well as by its suppliers. Findings - Given low functional integration, antagonistic reasoning within each function and resultant conflicting behaviors are allowed to develop in a negative cycle, escalating the conflict between purchasing and production. This process leads to the creation of two opposing functional sourcing models that serve as blueprints for behavior. Research limitations/implications - The single case methodology was chosen to maximize depth and detail and form an ideal foundation for theory building. Future qualitative and quantitative studies should inquire further into the studied phenomenon to increase analytical and statistical generalizability of the proposed model. Practical implications - The findings can help managers understand how poor integration between functions can develop into cross-functional conflict. Facing a conflicting functional relationship, managers must resort to conflict resolution methods, instead of attempting to integrate, as several integrative devices are not appropriate in conflicting interfaces. Originality/value - The proposed model contributes by connecting the constructs of integration, group reasoning, and conflict, thereby generating knowledge on conflict development processes in cross-functional interfaces. Furthermore, the article contributes by uncovering the difficulties associated with implementing spend consolidation, a prevailing sourcing strategy.
  •  
25.
  • Ellegaard, Chris, 1968, et al. (author)
  • The Effects of Low Internal Integration on Suppliers' Resource Mobilization
  • 2012
  • In: Journal of Purchasing and Supply Management. - : Elsevier BV. - 1478-4092. ; 18:3, s. 148-158
  • Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
    • A company that suffers from low internal integration between corporate functions performs worse thanits more integrated competitors,leaving it in a position of competitive disparity.This paper reports onan investigation of the effects of internal integration between purchasing and operations onthemobilization of supplier resources.Low internal integration generates uncoordinated operations and purchasing behaviors that negatively affect supplier resource mobilization.We find that the lack ofoperations support foreight major purchasing initiatives in a construction company negatively affectssupplier resource mobilization,resulting in poor exchange outcomes for the suppliers.Furthermore,different types ofuncoordinated behaviors affect suppliers’resource mobilization in diverse negative ways. Basedontheresults,we offer a categorization of diverse typesofsuppliermobilization activitiesand offer several managerial implications for both buyers and suppliers.
  •  
26.
  • Friis, O., et al. (author)
  • Strategy innovation with employee involvement
  • 2015
  • In: International Journal of Globalisation and Small Business. - 1479-3067 .- 1479-3059. ; 7:2, s. 125-138
  • Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
    • The purpose of this article is to investigate how employees can be involved in strategy innovation processes and how new strategy practices (new tools and procedures) are used to change strategy praxis in order to sustain value creation. In the strategising actions, we found that even if the managers still dominate, some processes of direct involvement of employees occur, in particular when employees are asked to supplement overall strategic goals and when they directly shape several sub-strategies. Strategy practices found include strategy planning, an open space workshop and organised strategy projects. Especially, the latter two are important in facilitating the employee involvement. The case, however, also exhibits enterprise-situated praxises related to unplanned events, like the mitigation of taboos.
  •  
27.
  • Frödell, Mikael, 1981, et al. (author)
  • Integration barriers for purchasing organisation in a large construction company: towards requisite disintegration
  • 2013
  • In: The IMP Journal. - 0809-7259. ; 7:1, s. 46-58
  • Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
    • Developing the purchasing organisation is an ongoing challenge for large contractors where internal and external perspectives need to interplay. The aim of this paper is two-fold: firstly, the development of a theoretical framework to characterise the purchasing organisation and secondly, to analyse the limited adoption of integrated purchasing through an analysis of barriers to integration. The theoretical standpoint is underpinned by purchasing organisation theory and by literature on internal and external integration as well as barriers to integration. Based on a two-year case study, the paper presents the status of the purchasing organisation and the barriers to further integration as originating from the strategic purchasers of the contractor. The perceived barriers question full integration internally and externally. The perceived barriers encompass low framework agreement status compared to orders, inconsistent ways of working in the projects and dispersed geographical location and sub-markets. The barriers to integration stem from both attitudinal and industrial matters, whilst institutional barriers are not identified. The paper therefore proposes a differentiated, requisitely disintegrated, purchasing organisation designed to manage the diverse supplier population. In contrast to those advocating a tighter internal and external integration, this paper suggests a requisite balance between integration and specialisation of the purchasing activities.
  •  
28.
  • Gottlieb, Stefan, 1975, et al. (author)
  • Governing the common good: Collective action in institutional maintenance
  • 2020
  • In: ARCOM 2020 - Association of Researchers in Construction Management, 36th Annual Conference 2020 - Proceedings. ; , s. 225-234
  • Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
    • This paper deals with the governance of a particular common good in the Danish construction industry popularly referred to as 'the technical knowledge commons.' The technical knowledge commons encompass the sum of practical experiences, professional literature, techniques and tested routines in different technical areas that professionals are expected to be familiar with. Due to its role in institutionalizing conceptions of proper conduct and professional practice, the technical knowledge commons have been met by industry criticism, being seen as 'backdoor' regulation that stifles innovation and constitutes a barrier to the globalization of labour and building materials. We illustrate how the technical knowledge commons is singled out as a battleground for struggles to redefine the governance of the industry. Using the concepts of institutional interlocks and meta-routines, it is analysed how actors are connected to the knowledge commons and contribute to a distributed maintenance of contested institutionalized practices. On this basis, we discuss how existing interlocks have been challenged and lost legitimacy in the face of the industry's deregulation and globalization, and how a new form of collective agency has arisen as professional associations have rallied in an attempt to establish new and legitimate governance structures to maintain the common good.
  •  
29.
  •  
30.
  • Jørgensen, Claus, et al. (author)
  • Global offshoring - knowledge journeys of three SMEs
  • 2012
  • In: International Journal of Globalisation and Small Business. - 1479-3067 .- 1479-3059. ; 4:3/4, s. 360-379
  • Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
    • This paper analyses three small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in the textile industry involved in manufacturing, design sales and procurement offshoring. Adopting the knowledge-based theory of the firm andthe theory of knowledge integration leads to identification of ‘direction’ and ‘organisational routines’, which are important for the integration of knowledge between entities dispersed in time and space.The companies were followed over a period of four years, with annual interviews that show that, to differing degrees, offshoring of manufacturing becomes a journey for the companies involved to take back outsourced activities when it proves difficult to create the appropriate managerial direction and organisational routines. Travelling experts, virtual interaction through IT, and training of employees abroad are three central elements encountered. Changes in the globalised upstream setups challenge the companies’ manufacturing and innovative capabilities, since innovation,knowledge and activities prove less transferable and robust, leading to a need for re-integration in the restructured upstream sourcing setups.
  •  
31.
  •  
32.
  • Jørgensen, Claus, et al. (author)
  • Transforming capabilities in offshoring processes – Longitudinal development of organisational resources and routines in four Danish offshoring enterprises
  • 2015
  • In: Strategic Outsourcing. - 1753-8297 .- 1753-8300. ; 8:1, s. 53 - 75
  • Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
    • Purpose – This paper aims to focus on how organisational capabilities, enhancing the dynamiccapability perspective, evolve during a more than five-year offshoring process in four Danish small- andmedium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The strategic decision to offshore some manufacturing activitiesmeant that capabilities were ruptured and had to be rebuilt.Design/methodology/approach – The empirical investigation took the form of qualitative casestudies with a longitudinal orientation focussing in on a few events in the four cases (strategic changein the sourcing configuration) as a process research design (Pettigrew, 1990; Van de Ven, 2007).Interviews were transcribed and coded in NVivo.Findings – The four cases followed distinct trajectories, but they all changed their routines regardinghow to handle knowledge, including both technology and human resources. A need for specific humanresources acting as boundary spanners arose, transforming both intra- and inter-organisationalpractices in all four cases. More complex activities were moved offshore to enhance the dynamiccapabilities of the companies regarding both product development as well as specific processes, therebytransforming/reconfiguring the organisational capabilities of the companies. However, in the twosmall-sized cases, more complex/less routinised activities were backsourced, demonstrating asignificant problem over time with the development of sufficient organisational resources to maintainseizing and sensing capabilities within these companies in comparison with the two other medium-sizedcases.Research limitations/implications – The fact that most of the data were generated from aninside-out perspective, taking the point of departure in the core firms, can be viewed as a limitation. Theauthors’ data on the wider network are also limited. Finally, the authors’ interviews are conductedrelatively infrequently when considering the length of the process.Practical implications – The four longitudinal cases show that the longer-term offshoring journeydoes not involve a single path or a single best practice. The cases show captive as well as outsourcingarrangements and even enterprise transformations. The cases demonstrate a common focus on findingand nurturing core suppliers and core business processes, which can be characterised as continuallearning and development of organising capabilities.Originality/value – The study contributes to the growing body of research into dynamic(organisational) capabilities in an offshoring and SME context.
  •  
33.
  • Jørgensen, Claus, et al. (author)
  • Transforming organizational capabilities in strategizing: Strategic sourcing routines in two Danish offshoring enterprises
  • 2014
  • In: EGOS.
  • Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
    • Offshored and networked enterprises are becoming an important if not leading organizational form and this development seriously challenges their organizational capabilities. More specifically, over the last years, SMEs have commenced entering these kinds of arrangements. As the organizational capabilities of SMEs are limited at the outset, even more emphasis is needed regarding the issues of developing relevant organizational capabilities. This paper aims at investigating how capabilities evolve during an offshoring process of more than 5 years in two Danish SMEs, i.e. not only short- but long-term evolvements within the companies. We develop our framework of understanding organizational capabilities drawing on dynamic capability, relational capability and strategy as practice concepts, appreciating the performative aspects of developing new routines.Our two cases are taken from one author’s Ph.D. study on SME offshoring. The case study takes its point of departure in the initial event of manufacturing routines being offshored. This meant that previous collocated capabilities partly lost their value and relevance, and new capabilities had to be built. From there the cases have followed distinctive trajectories and the companies have changed their routines for handling knowledge between the new entities dispersed in space and time. Specifically the use of key boundary spanners as routine translators and implementers emerged as a key capability in the two case companies.Further routines were reallocated over time thereby creating a growing need for new capabilities and transformed knowledge handling routines. IT emerged into an important resource to support more complex routines of product development as well as specific management and HRM processes assisting the transformation of the organizational capabilities of the SMEs.
  •  
34.
  • Kerr, D., et al. (author)
  • A creative and useful tension? Large companies using “bring your own device”
  • 2014
  • In: IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology. - Berlin, Heidelberg : Springer Berlin Heidelberg. - 1868-4238 .- 1868-422X. - 9783662434581 ; 429, s. 166-178
  • Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
    • This paper looks at processes of embedding of computer systems in four organisational case studies in three different countries. A selective literature study of implementation of computer systems leads the authors to suggest that seen from a top down managerial perspective employees may be assumed to accept and use new computer systems, for example an ERP system but what happens deep down in the organisation are a reshaping, domestication or appropriation of the software for example through developing workarounds. The authors further suggest that traditional implementation models may incorrectly assume that the computer systems has been embedded in the organisation because things appear to be running smoothly when in fact software and/or processes have been reshaped by employees to suit their local needs. These social shapings appear to be done for a multitude of reasons. However, from the qualitative case studies it appears that most workarounds are done to make work easier and/or to overcome perceived inflexibilities in existing enterprise mandated systems. The ubiquitous access to cloud technologies and an increasing workforce of tech savy “digital natives” using their own devices (BYOD) has exacerbated the situation. © IFIP International Federation for Information Processing 2014.
  •  
35.
  • Kifokeris, Dimosthenis, 1988, et al. (author)
  • A conceptual digital business model for construction logistics consultants, featuring a sociomaterial blockchain solution for integrated economic, material and information flows
  • 2020
  • In: Journal of Information Technology in Construction. - : International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction. - 1874-4753. ; 25, s. 500-521
  • Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
    • In this paper, a new digital business model for independent construction logistics consultants, which features the conceptualization of a sociomaterial blockchain solution for integrated information, material and economic flows, is proposed.Theoretically, we offer an understanding of the economic flow, stress the optimization of construction logistics through flow integration, analyse current approaches to understanding blockchain, adopt sociomateriality to envision a suitable blockchain solution, and consider the way blockchain can constitute part of the value proposition of a related digital business model. Methodologically, we systematically reviewed the literature on blockchain-related construction research, and conducted empirical studies on independent logistics consultants in the Swedish context for more than a year. On the one hand, the literature review reveals that core blockchain properties can generate value for construction logistics (e.g. shared ledger structure and reduction of accounting rework) – however, apart from visions and prototypes, there currently exist no use cases, and potential implementational constraints and security issues are limitedly considered. One the other hand, the empirical findings show that independent construction logistics consultants in the sociomaterial Swedish context are suitable candidates for the proposed digital business model. By combining the literature and empirical insights, a permissioned private proof-of-authority blockchain solution integrating the supply chain flows in a generic sociomaterial setting is conceptualized. This solution is then embedded in the value proposition of a digital business model for an independent construction logistics consultant. The proposition includes, among others, improved process management and increased productivity, while the consultants’ competitive advantage through innovation is facilitated. Other business model segments, like key resources, are also updated via the blockchain solution, while some, like channels, are not significantly affected. To not hinder the realization of this digital business model, issues like the lack of blockchain awareness, and the existing power balances within sociomaterial constellations, have to be addressed.
  •  
36.
  • Kifokeris, Dimosthenis, 1988, et al. (author)
  • Blockchain in building logistics: emerging knowledge, and related actors in Sweden
  • 2019
  • In: Proceedings of the 35th Annual ARCOM Conference, 2-4 September 2019, Leeds, UK. - 9780995546349 ; , s. 426-435
  • Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
    • Large building projects involve complex on-site logistics regarding materials and subsystems, often encompassing hundreds of vehicles handling incoming and outcoming goods and requiring precise timing and space handling. Such a material flow is generally decoupled from the respective economic flow; however, the integration of the two could, among others, foster a holistic overview of the full construction project production, facilitate the collaboration of the supply chain stakeholders, and optimize constructability. Blockchain technologies can enable an integration of these flows by using the distributed ledger facility inherent in a decentralized blockchain network, as well as smart contracts. This paper aims at reviewing the emerging knowledge on blockchain in construction and identifying different constellations of companies and flows in digital building logistics. Theoretically, the paper draws on a sociotechnical approach, which views the development of digitalization as an intertwined social and technical process, where technology is co-shaped with practice. Building on a literature review and interviews and dialogues with actors active in building logistics within Sweden, at least three digital building logistics constellations with the potential to implement blockchain solutions are identified: (1) large contractors integrating building logistics internally, to overcome transaction challenges and maintain power over business-critical supply processes, (2) clients employing independent third-party logistics consultants acting as convenors of different interests in the building logistics setup, and (3) other thirdparty actors such as construction equipment suppliers, offering customised digital building logistics solutions.
  •  
37.
  • Kifokeris, Dimosthenis, 1988, et al. (author)
  • Blockchain in construction – hype, hope, or harm?
  • 2019
  • In: Advances in ICT in Design, Construction and Management in Architecture, Engineering, Construction and Operations (AECO): Proceedings of the 36th CIB W78 2019 Conference. - 9781861354860 ; , s. 189-198
  • Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
    • Business and public interest and investments in digital ledgers, smart contracts and virtual currencies such as bitcoin, has skyrocketed. Blockchain is indeed a hyped technology – and should therefore raise healthy skepticism. During construction production, projects and the involved companies take on a disintegrated economic flow and allocation of economic resources; these include supplies of materials and services, payments, accounting tasks, and other economic decisions, that are often treated second-hand by site management, subcontractors, transport companies, retailers and material suppliers. Within such a situation, blockchain technologies can maybe create value for stakeholders in handling this economic flow and integrating it with other information and material flows. So, in this sense, blockchain represents a hope for construction; however, this paper critically scrutinizes blockchain for construction, in trying to answer the question whether it indeed constitutes hope, or it is harmful. The paper will report from an ongoing study and development project aiming at implementing a blockchain prototype for digitalized construction logistics at a large building site. A literature review, undertaken in several iterations from May 2018 to summer 2019 and following the emergence of the hype for blockchain, reveals visions and a few prototypes of related systems for construction. Theoretically, the paper adopts a sociomaterial approach, appreciating that blockchain is as much about social interaction and development of trust, as it is about digitally facilitating economic transactions. Several critical issues threatening to jeopardize the adoption of blockchain are analyzed in the paper, such as the protection of the economic data during transactions, permission access control which only allows a few people to enter the system while still requiring a minimum of trust between those already inside the system, and possible financial speculation on the utilized cryptocurrencies. The way construction stakeholders can mitigate such issues, thus enabling blockchain to become a realized hope rather than harming the sector, is discussed. Probably the largest risk relates to unrealistic hopes of full transparency in open blockchain systems, potentially making the systems too vulnerable to external intervention and even speculation. Permissioned systems with some level of hierarchy appear to be a feasible compromise solution mitigating the potential harm.
  •  
38.
  • Kifokeris, Dimosthenis, 1988, et al. (author)
  • Blockchain in construction logistics: state-of-art, constructability, and the advent of a new digital business model in Sweden
  • 2019
  • In: Volume I – Proceedings of the 2019 European Conference on Computing in Construction, July 10-12, 2019, Chania, Crete, Greece. - 9781910963371 ; 1, s. 332-340
  • Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
    • Research on blockchain technology implementation within civil engineering has mainly focused on smart contracts, and interfaces with information systems. However, the use of blockchain for the integration of the material and economic flows within construction supply chain – thus creating a new business model – to enhance a construction project’s production, logistics management, and constructability, has not been investigated. In this paper, this shortage is documented through a comprehensive literature review. Then, the potential of Swedish independent third-party logistics consultants as a fertile ground for such a business model, is examined. Finally, conclusions about the pursuance of this potential paradigm shift are drawn.
  •  
39.
  • Kifokeris, Dimosthenis, 1988, et al. (author)
  • BLogCHAIN: proof-of-concept and pilot testing of a blockchain application prototype for construction logistics in Sweden
  • 2021
  • In: Proceedings of the European Conference on Computing in Construction. - 9783907234549 ; II, s. 11-18
  • Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
    • Blockchain technology has a potential for construction logistics, also within Sweden. In this paper, a proposal of a blockchain system and its practical implementation is presented (the BLogCHAIN prototype). Its was preliminarily tested during the early construction of a school in Sweden, in November-December 2020. Methodologically, we reviewed studies on blockchain for construction logistics, interviewed the BLogCHAIN testers (suppliers and contractor’s operatives), and understood the test’s practical outcomes through sociomateriality. Our results include the confirmation of envisioned benefits when implementing BLogCHAIN (e.g. reducing accounting rework), but also a simplification from its initial conceptualization, mainly due to rigidly established work practices.
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40.
  • Kifokeris, Dimosthenis, 1988, et al. (author)
  • Building Information Models’ data for machine learning systems in construction management
  • 2019
  • In: 2019 Creative Construction Conference Proceedings, 29 June – 2 July 2019, Budapest, Hungary. ; , s. 818-823
  • Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
    • Qualitative and quantitative data are important in construction management. However, despite the capabilities of construction informatics, such data and its sources have scarcely been fully and systematically utilized for predictive purposes. Building Information Models (BIM) are such a data source. Within BIM, information structures enabling interoperability and providing utilizable data throughout the various Levels of Development (LODs) of a building – for example, Industry Foundation Classes (IFCs) – can be fully and meaningfully exploited through data mining, and more particularly, via machine learning. In this paper, the capabilities of the information structures found in IFCs to be used as data sources for developing machine learning predictive models, will be examined. In addition, and by conceptually tying such data with constructability, their suitability for predicting – through such machine learning models – the delivery cost and time overheads of a construction project, will be considered.
  •  
41.
  • Kifokeris, Dimosthenis, 1988, et al. (author)
  • Constructability of districts: capabilities of productivity and logistics big data for machine learning prediction
  • 2019
  • In: Advances in ICT in Design, Construction and Management in Architecture, Engineering, Construction and Operations (AECO): Proceedings of the 36th CIB W78 2019 Conference. ; , s. 32-41
  • Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
    • Big data, reflecting both qualitative information and quantitative material, can be used within the construction management processes of complex and large-scale building activities, such as the development of whole districts in urban areas. Such big data is probably largely focused on transport routes, productivity and site logistics portfolios. However, despite the capabilities offered by construction informatics, such data has scarcely been utilized systematically and in its full capacity for descriptive and predictive purposes. Such a systematic data utilization process can be framed through the lens of the novel construction management concept of district constructability, namely the extension of constructability into the collective level of entire districts. Constructability is here understood as the optimal use of construction knowledge and experience in planning, design, procurement, and field operations, to achieve the project objectives of time, cost and quality, and omit the gap between the as-designed and as-built project states. District constructability moves from individual projects to an overall metric for the facilitation of construction knowledge and experience implementation when undertaking large-scale construction activities (e.g. the erection of numerous buildings) for the development of entire districts; thus, it can be realized, among others, through the achievement of optimal construction productivity rates and smooth logistics operations. To combine all the aforementioned, and simultaneously fully and meaningfully exploit the capabilities that construction productivity and logistics big data may present for the assessment of district constructability, data mining can be utilized, namely the set of processes that computationally discover and “comprehend” patterns in datasets. More particularly, machine learning, here defined as the exploration of algorithms that enable computing systems to “learn” and make data-driven predictions by building a model from a sample dataset and without being explicitly programmed, can be at the methodological forefront of fully exploiting all data found in transport routes, buffer facilities, productivity rates and logistics portfolios. In this paper, the capabilities of the information structures found in the data for developing machine learning models predicting the district constructability in new large-scale urbanization activities, are examined.
  •  
42.
  • Kifokeris, Dimosthenis, 1988, et al. (author)
  • Swedish lean construction practices identified in the last decade of research
  • 2020
  • In: ARCOM 2020 - Association of Researchers in Construction Management, 36th Annual Conference 2020 - Proceedings. ; , s. 435-444
  • Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
    • Studies on lean construction (LC) can possibly point to differences in its practical realization (i.e. different coverage of construction processes), in order to fit certain purposes. Different LC practices may entail the implementation of parts of the bundle of concepts that constitute LC (e.g. Last Planner), or the integration of LC with other frameworks and tools (like BIM). The identification of such practices may lead to the emergence of certain positive outcomes, like initiating a discussion on suggesting new and/or updated LC tenets. Here, the contextual characteristics of different construction sectors are appreciated by focusing on the Swedish national context. We explore the last decade of research output documenting cases of LC practices in Sweden, and then we critically analyse this output to categorise these practices according to the construction processes they cover. Methodologically, a systematic literature review utilising the augmented concept-centric framework was conducted, and the abductive method was utilised to analyse the review outcomes. The main LC practices in Sweden are found to pertain heavily to production and strategy, while covering partnering, stakeholder collaboration, design, planning, and supply chains to a lesser extent. However, the knowledge of these practices is scattered, which precludes a more advanced adoption of LC in Sweden and prevents it from fully countering issues it is supposed to tackle - as shown in a recent report on the productivity in the Swedish construction sector. Moreover, through the years, there has been a heavy focus on industrialised, rather than “conventional”, construction. However, while the study of the former - which has a well-defined, but also modest market share in Sweden - has been precise and extensive, the needs of the latter have yet to be adequately addressed. These findings may entail that more work is needed for a stronger requirements-driven adoption of LC in Sweden.
  •  
43.
  • Koch, Christian, 1958 (author)
  • 2. Improving Health and Safety through Interventions in Safety Cultures
  • 2014
  • In: Proceedings CIB W099 International Health and Safety Conference - Achieving Sustainable Construction Health and Safety. ; , s. 107-117
  • Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
    • Changing safety cultures are regarded either as an accepted routine, a controversial effort or even an impossible approach by the different positions of scholars of safety culture. It thus remains disputed whether it is possible to purposely change safety cultures. The paper aims at critically evaluating two interventions designed to change safety cultures in the Danish Building industry targeting improvement of the health and safety. Using a symbolic interactionism analysis of safety cultures as a common point of departure, the designed intervention methods encompass elements such as using work place assessment and commonly developed guidelines to change the shared meaning of risk, of accidents and possible prevention. The methods employed to map the safety culture encompass ethnography, interviews, and documents analysis, and for the intervention action research. Strength and weaknesses of the applied methods is discussed including the multiple roles of the researchers. The paper describes and analyses first one designed intervention method used at three enterprises whereof excerpts from two are presented, and then discuss the experiences and effects juxtaposing the first evaluated method with another with a similar design. The initial analysis of the safety cultures in the selected case shows a configuration of multiple safety cultures differing over issues such as risk perception, and the stakes of prevention. The cultures stretch across sites, crews, contractors headquarter and the educational institutions. The effects of the interventions are evaluated, and the paper also raises issue with the limitations of measurability of safety culture change and improvement.
  •  
44.
  • Koch, Christian, 1958, et al. (author)
  • A human touch? How machine learning can improve project performance
  • 2019
  • In: CIB World Building Congress 2019: ‘Constructing smart cities’, Hong Kong, June 17-21, 2019. - 9789623678216 ; , s. WC0101-01-WC0101-12
  • Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
    • Construction projects are influenced by interrelated issues that may result in cost and/or time overruns, thus affecting the overall project performance. Therefore, a need to develop predictive models is widely highlighted, to aid in decision-making and offer guidance for corrective actions – especially when preparing for the production phase. Predictive models can utilize certain key performance indicators (KPIs). This study aims at investigating possible applications of machine learning (ML) for the development of such predictive models in construction projects, and the way these can impact project performance. Initially, a literature review about ML in the construction context is conducted. Following, two cases of developed ML predictive systems for construction project performance appraisal are presented. The first case is drawing on a productivity survey of 580 construction projects in Sweden, in which the most influential project performance factors are analyzed. The data encompasses project attributes, external influencing factors, and project organization. Statistical correlation is used to find the features that are strongly correlated with four KPIs: cost and time variance, and client and contractor satisfaction. Then, a regression analysis is performed to develop the prediction model. Technical complexity, like the level of prefabrication, are among the features affecting project performance. Moreover, human-related factors (e.g. client role, architect performance, and collaboration level), end up being highly impactful; it derives that they are the most suitable factors for predicting project success. The second case appraises a project’s constructability combined with risk analysis, via a ML model utilizing a restricted dataset of 30 diverse civil engineering projects from several different countries and with very different character; a town square, a biogas plant, road bridges and sub projects from an airport. The development built on a literature study, expert interviews, and unsupervised and supervised ML. The ML-enabled strengths of this model lie more in the novel derivation of construction project risk sources from the related body of literature, as well as the computational and not just conceptual integration of constructability and risk analysis, rather than the system’s coverage of the full corresponding context. It can be concluded that the human touch is still needed in preparing future construction projects – and even more so after the introduction of ML solutions. While ML includes human aspects, such as satisfaction and risk perception translated into concepts and variables, there is also a need for strengthening the human touch of qualified thinking for the related decision-making in construction project processes.
  •  
45.
  • Koch, Christian, 1958 (author)
  • A Scandinavian collaboration icon falls? - the development of a dual building labour market in Sweden
  • 2017
  • In: Proceedings of the 9th Nordic Conference on Construction Economics and Organization. - 9788750211259 ; , s. 285-295
  • Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
    • The Scandinavian welfare society model and its results has in the post second world war period been an icon beyond its geographical borders. Yet the model has also been exposed to continual challenges. In a construction sector context, the characteristics of peaceful collaboration, a productivity pact, well skilled and organized labour force, high level of work environment quality and enforcement, are all elements seen on Swedish building sites, and almost as prevalent as in other Swedish industrial sectors. In the recent years the construction sector has however seen an unprecedented influx of companies and work force, and they are contributing to what appears to be another labour market in Swedish construction. The aim of this paper is therefore to study these tendencies of erosion of the Swedish model labour market on a high level, and the emergence of another low level labour market. Theoretically the paper draw on industrial relations labour market studies, and concepts of dual labour markets. Empirically, a macro oriented approach is used, yet involving as much micro knowledge as possible. The study uses a host of sources. To address the low level labour market material such as reports on fatal accidents and police cases is used. The result of the analysis is that the high level labour market in Swedish is still strong. Existing and new institutions serve to maintain and adjust this market. However the low level market is emerging, not only on the private house market, but also at large infrastructure projects, impacted by companies working with lower pay, and worse conditions. Even the main public client are actively encouraging foreign companies to engage, to maintain a market competition on infrastructure. This leads to systematic poorer conditions managed through recruitment companies and other sub suppliers that places the phenomenon at a distance from the main contractor. Another type of intermediaries, union employees with foreign language skills, are a counter tendency. It is discussed whether the Scandinavian model can recast itself, to, not only counter the present developments, but also into a new integrative multicultural model, supporting the foreseen growth in the Scandinavian building sector.
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46.
  • Koch, Christian, 1958, et al. (author)
  • Belt, Braces and more -overlapping emerging proto-institutions in the field of sustainable buildings
  • 2014
  • In: European Group of Organization Studies, EGOS 2014 Rotterdam.
  • Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
    • The purpose of this paper is to investigate the apparent competition between various proto- institutions in the case of the development of sustainable buildings in Denmark. It focuses first on the institutional complexity involving multiple actors and leading to institutional change and secondly on the role of associations in this particular context. It is contended that institutions coexist both as stabilized constellations and as institutions in the making, during processes of institutional change. Concepts for the understanding of the relations between institutions encompass peaceful coexistence, competition and conflict/contradiction. Moreover institutionalisation in a field can involve a range of devices, resources and actors single or collective such as associations. Associations can both contribute to maintenance and well as changing constellations of institutions.
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47.
  • Koch, Christian, 1958, et al. (author)
  • Beyond the Design Fix - New Industrialisation in Contractor’s Supplier Relationships
  • 2010
  • In: Proceedings of CIB 2010 World Congress, 10-13 May 2010, Salford Quays, UK.
  • Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
    • In striving for increased efficiency in service delivery the AEC-sector is currently attempting to introduce industrialisation, mainly in the form of design and production concepts such as mass configurated “systems” such as bungalows. There is thus a tendency to focus steps in direction of “new industrialisation” at design efforts for limited areas of mainstream construction. Mainstream construction seem however to move a lot slower in this direction, having to appreciate the complexity of the delivery and only using sub-systems deliveries in restricted areas. This paper therefore aims at analysing the needed transformation of supply deliveries, when attempting gradually to move in a systems delivery direction. Theoretically the paper is based on a multidisciplinary approach understanding supply relations, purchasing and management as negotiated and emergent. Based on a four country study funded by the Erabuild program, this paper presents 3 cases of long term transformation of contractor- supplier relations as general contractors outsource and commence professionalising purchasing moving it from project purchasing into strategic purchasing. It is suggested that “new industrialisation” is a long term transformation rather than a quick design fix, appreciating the vulnerabilities of delivery relations and coordination issues. Especially using defects and quality issues as “litmus” for the well functioning of the supply chain. Implications for future relationship management and supplier transformation is given.
  •  
48.
  • Koch, Christian, 1958, et al. (author)
  • Changing institutions of knowing - Climate mitigation, craft competences and vocational training in Denmark
  • 2014
  • In: 30th Annual Association of Researchers in Construction Management Conference, ARCOM 2014; Portsmouth; United Kingdom; 1 September 2014 through 3 September 2014. - 9780955239083
  • Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
    • In order to reach the EU 2020 goals for the climate, Danish vocational training units are currently in a process of institutional change triggered by the need of providing energy, and new process competences for the skilled and semiskilled workforce active in construction. The aim of the present paper is to analyze enablers and barriers for this institutional change. The vocational education system in Denmark is strongly institutionalised with unions, employer's associations and the schools in central roles. Drawing on institutional theory contributions on labour market -, educational - and professional institutions, the paper presents a study of institutional work inside and across schools and craft disciplines working in SMEs involved in new building and renovation with an energy aspect. Collaboration between four education committees for carpenters, masons, electricians and plumbers and interviews with seven companies come to focus on competences of interdisciplinary collaboration and sustainable innovation in SME. The anticipation of future building regulation of 2015 and 2020 creates an institutional pressure in education for change including handling differentiated demands of customers and contractors, not always just following regulation but occasionally ahead of it. At a time this needs to be balanced with customer needs with a comfort orientation and issues of cost and financing. The committees act in a contradictory, sometimes conservative manner in this change of institutions of knowing. In the future specialization will be supplemented by horizontal and vertical interdisciplinary and innovative competences integrating the complex process industrialized construction sector. Schools, teachers and digital teaching materials need be developed to support this change supported by front running companies and results from innovative building projects. The education committees in Denmark can have a leading role in this development and set high and motivational standards for the improvements. The analysis sees however a lot more barriers than enablers.
  •  
49.
  • Koch, Christian, 1958, et al. (author)
  • Cleantech Niche Development– A Small Business Perspective on Climate Change
  • 2012
  • In: International Journal of Global Warming. - 1758-2083 .- 1758-2091. ; 4:3-4, s. 365-382
  • Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
    • The mitigation of climate change enables and requires a number ofnew companies and businesses to emerge. This paper investigates what it takesfor a niche company in these emerging cleantech businesses to be able to act andgrow using transition theory. A company that manages to perform successfulCleantech Niche Development (CND) will be able to have an environmentally andfi nancially sustainable business, enabling it to compete against companies from thedominant fossil fuel regime. By combining theory and empirical material gatheredthrough interviews and desk research, CND is found to be distinctive in fi verespects: marketing, political and government aspects, networking, strategisingand social relations. Cleantech leaders should master acting in a world of chaosupon the paradoxical and complex surroundings, while creating meaning for theircolleagues and business network.
  •  
50.
  • Koch, Christian, 1958, et al. (author)
  • Commercial pressure, local responsiveness and synergies in globalised engineering services
  • 2017
  • In: 26th International Association for Management of Technology Conference, IAMOT 2017. ; , s. 166-174, s. 166-174
  • Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
    • This paper investigates how medium-size engineering service companies working traditionally in national markets have engaged with challenges of globalisation and competition from multinationals. The Nordic region has many smaller domestic engineering services companies in the industry, which are under pressure in their established national and wider international markets. The research uses mixed-methods with empirical data from a desk study of sector development supplemented by qualitative studies of individual companies. It also includes comparative case study analyses of two medium-size engineering service companies with headquarters in two different Scandinavian countries. Among the companies studied there is a plethora of strategies and diversification into other revenue generating activities. Mergers and acquisitions are the most important strategies among the largest companies. Also there are a number of network strategies involving local resources from sister companies etc. The case companies illustrate many of the findings. They both have a multidisciplinary profile in the Nordic region while establishing a more limited presence in North America and elsewhere in Northern Europe. They are also developing a global business focusing on separate areas such as large bridges, environmental consulting, developmental consulting and industrial engineering. The research reveals an array of different strategic positions that combine local, regional and global elements resulting in unique strategic “bundles”. The paper adds to strategic technology management concepts and approaches by identifying the strong role of emergent strategy moves made by senior managers in the companies. It complements established theory and practice concerning the Resource-Based View and Knowledge-Based View as well as on network operations and extended enterprises.
  •  
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