| 1. |
- Eriksson, Per-Erik, et al.
(author)
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Collaborative Procurement Strategies for Infrastructure Projects : A Multiple Case Study
- 2019
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In: Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers. - : Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE). - 1751-4304 .- 1751-4312. ; 172:5, s. 197-205
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- With the announcement to tender a project, several strategic decisions are made that have significant impact on the innovation and efficiency potential of a project. The purpose of this study is to investigate and compare how different types of integrative and collaborative procurement strategies may enhance the opportunities for improved efficiency and innovation in infrastructure projects. Hence, it contributes to the scientific debate on buyer-supplier relationships in relation to project performance. Furthermore, it guides public client organizations in steering explicitly for integration and innovation in their projects. Interview-based case studies of ten public infrastructure projects procured based on four different types of collaborative procurement strategies in Sweden and the Netherlands were conducted. The findings indicate that the duration of the collaboration is fundamental in setting the limits for innovation, and that early involvement as well as long-term commitments in maintenance open up for more innovation. Naturally, the potential for increased efficiency is higher than for innovation, and also occurs in collaborations with limited duration. The findings confirm the importance of a learning perspective on procurement strategies for public client organizations and show the importance of explicit considerations on incentives and project governance issues in the front-end phase of a project.
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| 2. |
- Gluch, Pernilla, 1968, et al.
(author)
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Orchestrating Multi-Actor Collaborative Innovation Across Organizational Boundaries
- 2019
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In: <em>10th Nordic Conference on Construction Economics and Organization, <em>Emerald Reach Proceedings Series, Volume 2</em></em>. - : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. ; , s. 371-379, s. 371-379
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- PurposeThe aim of this research is to increase the understanding of how strategic and long-term innovation efforts can be organised, operated and co-created within a project-based organisational setting.Design/Methodology/ApproachA case study with a qualitative approach was chosen, showing a critical case with powerful examples rather than representative samples, to draw conclusions from. The analysis builds on the concept of absorptive capacity, which provides a multidimensional perspective on innovation activities in organisations.FindingsThe difficulties in orchestrating an interplay between innovation processes and the construction process in itself is presented. The study identifies effects from introducing new “innovation roles” as well as comprehending implications of collaborative contract forms for innovation.Research Limitations/ImplicationsBased on a single case study, and being an in-depth empirical study, a rich description of innovation processes is provided which contributes to generalisation on processes rather than outcomes. The use of the absorptive capacity construct also contributes to a theoretically informed research on innovation in construction.Practical ImplicationsThe study provides valuable insights regarding how to conduct collaborative innovation in within the frame of construction projects.Originality/ValueThe study of a novel organisational setup, where multiple innovation processes is integrated in a construction project with a partnering contract, provides an understanding on how a construction client can manage the interplay between innovation processes and the construction process in itself. Furthermore, flows of knowledge and effects from introducing new innovation roles are unfolded.
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| 3. |
- Kadefors, Anna, Professor, 1962-, et al.
(author)
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Innovation processes and dissemination of research-based knowledge in Swedish rock engineering : Experiences in the trust geoinfra project
- 2019
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Innovation in the project-based construction industry is generally perceived to be complex and poorly understood on a system level. This report describes and discusses the innovation system in Swedish underground construction based on a study of knowledge dissemination and implementation in relation to the large collaborative R&D program TRUST, Transparent Underground Structures.The study is primarily based on interviews performed with representatives of clients, contractors, consultants, researchers and funding bodies within the TRUST program. There are two main focus areas: the innovation system level and the TRUST project. The innovation system level describes drivers, organization and processes for engaging in R&D and implementing results within the Swedish Transport Administration (STA), contractor companies and consultancy firms, but also interviewee opinions about the innovation culture in Swedish rock engineering and construction more generally. The section covering the TRUST project describes the background, performance and experiences from the TRUST collaboration as well as innovation processes within some of the sub-projects.Underground construction is a part of the construction sector where comparatively much research is carried out and university-industry collaboration is lively. Still, our results confirm many of the observations made by previous researchers on innovation in construction in general: the small resources within companies devoted to research and innovation, the importance of champions at the project level and the difficulties to disseminate knowledge and implement company level initiatives. The contractor interviews illustrate how sensitive their innovation processes are to chance factors such as timing of new relevant business projects and the experiences and knowledge of the individuals that happen to be assigned to a specific project. In this respect, the client is more in control. However, the interviewed client representatives from STA express the same kind of difficulties in driving innovation more strategically on the organizational level and convince their project managers to open up for R&D tests and new knowledge in their business projects.Previous research has also shown that there are many drivers for firms to engage in R&D collaborations with public funding. R&D collaboration provides access to knowledge networks by enabling participation in reference groups and communities. Important such networks in Swedish underground construction were BeFo and SBUF. Another driver for R&D collaboration was to support M Sc and PhD education for future recruitment. Thus, the individuals themselves were often the most important research output. Implementation of results was not a primary motivation although a more strategic approach was emerging among both public organizations and private companies, who put more emphasis than they used to on application in practice of research results. One consultancy company was especially active in developing their R&D strategy to support a business model based on premium services. In general, however, knowledge development for underground construction was still mainly driven by individual specialists based on their contacts in business projects. Organizations had developed centrally defined R&D strategies, but these did not deal explicitly with technical disciplines but tended to focus on general goals such as sustainability, or on participation in high profile research collaborations.Most specialists within academia as well as industry were involved in several networks and perceived these to provide useful interaction platforms. Research funding was governed by BeFo and SBUF, and these peer networks thus strongly influenced research strategy on a national level. The number of PhDs in industry had increased over the last years, and important informal networks developed over time between these individuals and their former university departments. Such relationships formed the basis for gaining research funding, which is often dependent on industry co-funding.When establishing TRUST, the assumption was that a large coordinated R&D project would be better for communicating with industry and implementing results than several smaller projects. However, it turned out to be more or less the other way around. The existing system could handle innovation in construction projects, but not innovation on the organizational level. This became apparent when trying to find a joint test site. In smaller research projects, access to business projects is provided by individuals on the client or supplier side, often with an R&D background, who use their personal contacts to provide access to researcher to perform measurements in ongoing construction projects. This often requires that site work is going well and that measurements are found not to cause too much disturbance. Large programs for site measurements involving numerous actors, such as TRUST, call for planning and upfront commitment. The failure to arrange fieldwork in TRUST illustrate the difficulties to take the step from a bottom up, ad-hoc, individual based regime to an organizational strategy with national level anchoring and implications. Thus, the TRUST program appeared to be an ideal partner for the Swedish Transport Administration, but in practice the size of the project turned out to be a major disadvantage.In general, the internal innovation capabilities of companies and client authorities need to be developed in order for organizations to benefit from the collaborative research programs and act upon the knowledge developed. One aspect is that measures should be taken to more explicitly involve business project managers in both R&D and implementation. Innovation capability development is needed especially on the client side, since long term strategies in supplier organizations will not develop if the strategies of the dominant clients is not clear. However, assuming that the geo area in general is largely an open innovation environment, it also seems useful to explore if different actors could perform complementary activities in an industry innovation system. For example, specialist networks both within organizations and on the industry level may be more formally mobilized in external monitoring, strategy development and evaluation. In the future, top management, technically oriented specialists and researchers need to develop a joint understanding of how the innovation system works, including the regulatory and contractual environment.There is also a need to invest also in research that is relatively far from application. Thus, evaluation processes and output measurement systems should be adapted to how close to implementation the research project is and also assess the need to build capabilities on the receiver side.
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| 4. |
- Kadefors, Anna, Professor, 1962-, et al.
(author)
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Procurement Requirements for Carbon Reduction in Infrastructure Construction Projects : An International Case Study
- 2019
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Reports (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Executive SummaryIntroductionFollowing alarming reports from the IPCC, climate change has engaged policymakers world-wide to chart policies at different administrative levels to mitigate increasing greenhouse gas emissions. The construction sector causes a substantial part of all greenhouse gas emissions, primarily carbon dioxide. Traditionally in this sector, the focus of carbon reduction measures has been on improving the energy efficiency of buildings. Further, various sustainability assessment schemes (BREEAM, LEED, Green Star, etc.) have been developed to assess sustainability performance. More recently, awareness has increased of the considerable greenhouse gas emissions arising from the manufacturing of construction materials and components, and also from construction processes and transport. Consequently, the infrastructure construction sector is now considered as a major source of greenhouse gases. In the UK, The Infrastructure Carbon Review has estimated that the construction, maintenance and operations of infrastructure assets account for 16% of the nation’s total carbon dioxide emissions. It is widely acknowledged that these emissions need to be significantly reduced if the international and national reduction targets are to be met.About the projectThis research project has investigated the institutional and organisational contexts, policies, procurement requirements and implementation strategies used to drive greenhouse gas reduction in large infrastructure projects in five countries world-wide: Australia, The Netherlands, Sweden, the UK and the US (see below for an overview of case study projects). The study is based on interviews with key partners on the client side and in the supply chain of each project. To provide a contextual understanding of the strategies used in these projects, we further include descriptions of the policy background that underlies current strategies and ambitions. Thus, the project traces the pathway from political and organisational goals to actual realisation in projects.Overview of case studies in the Impres projectCountryImpres case studiesAustraliaSydney Metro NorthwestNewcastle Light RailThe NetherlandsMotorway A6 AlmereSwedenResults from the Swedish Transport Administration research project Control Station 2018 - an evaluation of carbon procurement requirements in Swedish infrastructure projects.UKHigh Speed 2Anglian Water (Grafham WTW Resilience and Dalton Piercy WTW) USACalifornia High-Speed RailSFO AirTrain Extension The title of this research project is Implementation of procurement requirements for sustainable collaboration in infrastructure projects, also referred to as Impres. The project is a collaboration between the engineering consultancy firm WSP, the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Lund University and the construction company Skanska. The project is co-financed by Construction Climate Challenge (CCC), a sustainability research fund and network initiated by Volvo Construction Equipment, and the Swedish Research Council Formas. The latter funding comes through a grant for the Strong Research Environment ProcSIBE, Procurement for Sustainable Innovation in the Built Environment[1].We expect that results from this research project will be useful for decision-makers on the client side that are in charge of developing policies, procurement strategies and procurement requirements to reduce carbon emissions in the construction sector. Further, client and contractor project managers, environmental specialists and procurement staff responsible for implementing policies will be interested in experiences gained in similar initiatives in other countries. In parallel with this report, scientific articles are being developed by the authors to analyse and discuss the results described in this report more thoroughly in relation to other studies and to theory.ConclusionsIn all countries studied, there is an ongoing process to develop and implement policies for carbon reduction in infrastructure projects, with raised ambitions over time. In some cases, the development has initially been driven by a few dedicated individuals, but today there are frameworks and executive mandates in place that would make it hard to avoid carbon reduction commitments. National and regional reduction policies were found to be important in encouraging clients to develop ambitious carbon requirements that can contribute to setting new industry standards.Carbon reduction measures such as optimisation of constructions, minimised transport, reuse of excavated material and cement clinker replacement are applied in the studied cases. However, most of these measures are also cost efficient and would – or should – have been undertaken in a normal design and construction optimisation process. The positive side of this is that considerable carbon reductions may be achieved within existing budgets, and in most cases will even reduce cost, and that an increased focus on carbon may contribute to finding more such options. However, it also raises the question of what constitutes a relevant reference case, or baseline. Further, to meet the target levels of the Paris agreement, costly measures will also be needed, and this research identified only a few examples of such policies being implemented. Goals for carbon reduction are still new to many in the sector, and both clients and industry partners need time to adjust and develop new competencies. In countries with a longer history of carbon management, procurement strategies and requirements have advanced through continuous interaction between clients and industry actors over longer periods of time. Clients are wary of introducing requirements that may limit competition, and requirements to comply with rating schemes or to supply EPDs have been introduced successively to match the development of industry capacity. Award (MEAT) criteria related to carbon are used, but more often to increase awareness of carbon reduction rather than as a substantive basis for selection. Front-runner contractors and material suppliers were found to play important roles in reducing obstacles to innovation-oriented procurement. Moreover, the development of procurement requirements has been aligned with information and training initiatives, tool kits and guidelines to support low-carbon design and the calculation of emissions. In general, client environmental specialists have taken an active part in supporting the implementation of requirements in supply chains.Procurement requirements are considered important in driving carbon reductions in all countries, but the preferred style of these requirements vary. This diversity was partly related to general carbon management maturity and partly to general contracting practice and policy culture in the country or region. All countries used some form of contract-level reduction requirements, in most cases set in relation to a carbon emissions baseline. Overall, reduction requirements are perceived to encourage innovation, but our results show that such requirements were often more complex than foreseen and associated with administrative costs. First, to produce change and avoid speculation it is important to set requirements and incentives at the right level, which requires awareness on the client side of both the supplier’s competence and of the opportunities for carbon reduction in the specific project. Also, sharp requirements call for equally sharp and transparent performance evaluation. Moreover, much time was spent on calculation and re-calculation of baselines which could detract from measures for actual reduction of carbon emissions. In effect, time constraints in the projects limited the opportunities to involve subcontractors and material suppliers, which meant that all possible reductions were not realised. We conclude that expectations for substantial and innovative carbon reductions through functional reduction requirements may be too high. To influence sub-contractors and suppliers directly, several clients use specific requirements.Collaborative contracting models are a flexible option to encourage innovation and integrate knowledge of different participants. Many interviewees state the importance of breaking silo-thinking and integrating the supply chain in order to reach greater carbon reductions. Also, long-term alliances allow for continuous learning and more transformational innovation, including incentivising contractors to find ways of fulfilling client goals while building less. However, it should be emphasised that strong client leadership and commitment are essential both to legitimise collaborative contracting models and to achieve more fundamental behavioural change within collaborative projects and alliance schemes.Clients in mega-projects perceive an obligation to conform to national policy goals and may also have ambitions to be industry-level change agents. Since such projects have vast budgets, last for long periods of time and engage highly competent firms and individuals, they are often expected to show high performance in the area of innovation. However, mega-projects have many goals to fulfil, are technically and organisationally complex and associated with high risks. Therefore, time and willingness to develop new ways of working or implement new technology may be lacking. Further, even large projects may not be long enough to encompass processes to develop, test and approve new solutions. Thus, to support more efficient innovation processes in the industry, a long-term system perspective is needed. Interviewees suggested using smaller pilot projects for quicker testing of new materials, tools and technologies and, once proven, use procurement requirements in large projects to implement these more widely in the market.Overall, the study shows that the applicability of procurement requirements for carbon reduction is dependent on how well these requirements are aligned
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| 5. |
- Kadefors, Anna, Professor, 1962-, et al.
(author)
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Public procurement for carbon reduction in infrastructure projects : an international overview
- 2019
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In: Proceedings SBE19 Graz Sustainable Built Environment Conference 2019. - : IOP Publishing. - 9783851256840
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Carbon emissions emanating from infrastructure construction projects are substantial and stem primarily from production of construction materials and use of energy for construction transport and site activities. In recent years, public infrastructure clients world-wide have begun to include carbon reduction goals in their procurement requirements. This is however a new and complex field where practices vary and are still developing. In this paper, we compare models for carbon reduction requirements in infrastructure construction projects based on case studies of large projects in Australia, USA, the Netherlands, Sweden and UK. We found that open, functional carbon reduction requirements were considered innovative but entailed costs for calculating baselines and risks for speculation. Also, high time pressure in projects limits contractors' opportunities to explore reduction opportunities. Thus, specific, prescriptive requirements may play an important role in client-led, long-term innovation processes. Organizational competence and resources on the buyer side are essential, and policies for carbon reduction should aim to increase client capacity. Further, procurement practices are developed in mutual interaction between clients and suppliers over longer periods of time, which limits possibilities to transfer procurement policies and requirements between contexts.
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| 6. |
- Karrbom Gustavsson, Tina, 1973-, et al.
(author)
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Procurement Research: Current State and Future Challenges in the Nordic Countries
- 2019
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In: 10th Nordic Conference on Construction Economics and Organization (Emerald Reach Proceedings Series, Volume 2). - : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. ; , s. 195-204, s. 195-204
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- PurposeThe purpose of the study is to map previous and current construction procurement research to further develop the research in the Nordic counties.Design/Methodology/ApproachMapping of previous and current research based on search in national database. The analysis is based on research perspectives, empirical contexts and research methods.FindingsThat the blind spots are partly overlapping, but that there is potential for knowledge transfer in some areas. There is also the potential for a Nordic research program on one or several of the blind spots.Research Limitations/ImplicationsThe study is limited to PhD and licentiate-thesis reports in Norway and Sweden. Further research should include the other Nordic countries and a more extensive literature review including journal articles to broaden the scope. Findings have implications on collaborative Nordic research initiatives, knowledge transfer and in a longer perspective on the level of procurement knowledge in industry and society.Practical ImplicationsFindings provide a base for future research collaborations, initiatives and applications.Originality/ValueFindings provide a comprehensive understanding of construction procurement research in the Nordic countries, starting with Norway and Sweden. This understanding is needed for developing research collaborations and applications.
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| 7. |
- Rosander, Lilly, 1991-, et al.
(author)
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From project to policy : Implementing a collaborative procurement strategy in a public client organization
- 2019
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In: Proceedings of the 35th Annual ARCOM Conference. ; , s. 750-759
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Following urbanization and higher sustainability goals, large and complexinfrastructure construction projects are becoming more common. New collaborativecontracting models are increasingly used to tackle this complexity and uncertainty. Ina public context, collaborative contracting may be seen as an international trend inpublic policy, which is implemented in projects by public clients world-wide. Since afew years, the Swedish Transport Administration recommends that a two-stage EarlyContractor Involvement should be used for very large and complex projects. Thispaper analyses the implementation of this model in two sub-projects in a largeSwedish infrastructure project based on policy implementation literature. Altogether24 interviews were performed in two rounds, capturing both early expectations andexperiences gained after the contracts had been signed. Participants expressedpositive attitudes to the new collaborative project practices. However, theimplementation process was characterized by ambiguity and many issues aboutstaffing, collaboration processes, target cost estimations, responsibilities and designoutput were left to the projects to resolve. The study shows how conflicting policiesand high project-level autonomy combine to counteract organizational learning andhomogenization of practices in this field.
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