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Sökning: WFRF:(Koch Christian 1958) > (2015-2019)

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1.
  • Koch, Christian, 1958, et al. (författare)
  • Radical Sustainable Innovation of office buildings
  • 2017
  • Ingår i: Proceedings of the 9th Nordic Conference on Construction Economics and Organization. - 9788750211259
  • Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)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. (författare)
  • Murmuration as metaphor for sustainable innovation processes
  • 2018
  • Ingår i: Proceeding of the 34th Annual ARCOM Conference, ARCOM 2018. ; , s. 179-188
  • Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)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. (författare)
  • Transforming Ecosystems: Facilitating Sustainable Innovations Through the Lineage of Exploratory Projects
  • 2019
  • Ingår i: Project Management Journal. - : SAGE Publications. - 1938-9507 .- 8756-9728. ; 50:5, s. 602-616
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)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. (författare)
  • Institutional logics and hybrid organizing in public-private partnerships
  • 2018
  • Ingår i: Proceeding of the 34th Annual ARCOM Conference, ARCOM 2018. ; , s. 383-392
  • Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)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.
  • Beemsterboer, Sjouke, 1984, et al. (författare)
  • A human touch: Examining the roles of middle managers for innovation in contractors
  • 2017
  • Ingår i: 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
  • Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)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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6.
  • Beemsterboer, Sjouke, 1984, et al. (författare)
  • Building information standards: Big data technologies prevented from becoming big in building
  • 2016
  • Ingår i: Proceedings of the 32nd Annual ARCOM Conference, ARCOM 2016. ; , s. 83-92
  • Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)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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7.
  • Beemsterboer, Sjouke, 1984, et al. (författare)
  • Too complex to standardise? A case study of a socially loaded pier inspection process at the port of Gothenburg
  • 2017
  • Ingår i: 9th Nordic Conference on Construction Economics and Organization 13-14 June, 2017 at Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg, SWEDEN.
  • Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)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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8.
  • Bosch, Petra, 1971, et al. (författare)
  • Teknikkonsulter med och utan globaliseringsstrategier - en förstudie
  • 2016
  • Ingår i: Kortrapport om forskning, CMB.
  • Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)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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9.
  • Buser, Martine, 1967, et al. (författare)
  • Engineering companies strategizing globalisation
  • 2016
  • Ingår i: ARCOM Conference Manchester, September 2016. ; , s. 1089-1098
  • Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)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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10.
  • Buser, Martine, 1967, et al. (författare)
  • Interactive shaping of expertise: The play between house-owner and sme contractors negotiating renovation
  • 2019
  • Ingår i: Association of Researchers in Construction Management, ARCOM 2019 - Proceedings of the 35th Annual Conference. ; 2019, s. 104-113
  • Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)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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11.
  • Buser, Martine, 1967, et al. (författare)
  • Social sustainability as commodity? - investigating private companies contribution to urban restructuring in Sweden
  • 2015
  • Ingår i: The 23rd Nordic Academy of Management Conference, Copenhagen DK August 2015.
  • Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)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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12.
  • Friis, O., et al. (författare)
  • Strategy innovation with employee involvement
  • 2015
  • Ingår i: International Journal of Globalisation and Small Business. - 1479-3067 .- 1479-3059. ; 7:2, s. 125-138
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)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.
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15.
  • Jørgensen, Claus, et al. (författare)
  • Transforming capabilities in offshoring processes – Longitudinal development of organisational resources and routines in four Danish offshoring enterprises
  • 2015
  • Ingår i: Strategic Outsourcing. - 1753-8297 .- 1753-8300. ; 8:1, s. 53 - 75
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)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.
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16.
  • Kifokeris, Dimosthenis, 1988, et al. (författare)
  • Blockchain in building logistics: emerging knowledge, and related actors in Sweden
  • 2019
  • Ingår i: Proceedings of the 35th Annual ARCOM Conference, 2-4 September 2019, Leeds, UK. - 9780995546349 ; , s. 426-435
  • Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)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.
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17.
  • Kifokeris, Dimosthenis, 1988, et al. (författare)
  • Blockchain in construction – hype, hope, or harm?
  • 2019
  • Ingår i: 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
  • Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)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.
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18.
  • Kifokeris, Dimosthenis, 1988, et al. (författare)
  • Blockchain in construction logistics: state-of-art, constructability, and the advent of a new digital business model in Sweden
  • 2019
  • Ingår i: Volume I – Proceedings of the 2019 European Conference on Computing in Construction, July 10-12, 2019, Chania, Crete, Greece. - 9781910963371 ; 1, s. 332-340
  • Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)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.
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19.
  • Kifokeris, Dimosthenis, 1988, et al. (författare)
  • Building Information Models’ data for machine learning systems in construction management
  • 2019
  • Ingår i: 2019 Creative Construction Conference Proceedings, 29 June – 2 July 2019, Budapest, Hungary. ; , s. 818-823
  • Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)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.
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20.
  • Kifokeris, Dimosthenis, 1988, et al. (författare)
  • Constructability of districts: capabilities of productivity and logistics big data for machine learning prediction
  • 2019
  • Ingår i: 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
  • Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)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.
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21.
  • Koch, Christian, 1958, et al. (författare)
  • A human touch? How machine learning can improve project performance
  • 2019
  • Ingår i: CIB World Building Congress 2019: ‘Constructing smart cities’, Hong Kong, June 17-21, 2019. - 9789623678216 ; , s. WC0101-01-WC0101-12
  • Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)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.
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22.
  • Koch, Christian, 1958 (författare)
  • A Scandinavian collaboration icon falls? - the development of a dual building labour market in Sweden
  • 2017
  • Ingår i: Proceedings of the 9th Nordic Conference on Construction Economics and Organization. - 9788750211259 ; , s. 285-295
  • Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)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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23.
  • Koch, Christian, 1958, et al. (författare)
  • Commercial pressure, local responsiveness and synergies in globalised engineering services
  • 2017
  • Ingår i: 26th International Association for Management of Technology Conference, IAMOT 2017. ; , s. 166-174, s. 166-174
  • Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)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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24.
  • Koch, Christian, 1958, et al. (författare)
  • Creating State of the Art? A Passive House University Hospital North of the Polar Circle
  • 2018
  • Ingår i: Cold Climate HVAC 2018. - 2352-2534. - 9783030006617 ; , s. 1065-1073
  • Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
    • The recent Norwegian passive house legislation has raised concerns as to whether the building industry was able to build cost-efficient buildings, without overspending tax payers’ money and having negative consequences for peripheral areas in particular in the very north part of the country. This paper aims at exploring and analyzing how these challenges created by the new legislation has been met during building of a new hospital block in Tromsø, the A-wing. Building on sustainable transition theory which identifies several recombinant dynamics, both public and private, we define the building of passive houses as a societal development encompassing dynamics like company development, personnel competences, as well as architectural, engineering and production methods. The empirical material draws on interviews, analysis of documents relative to the project and public media material. The case study revealed a mixture of recurrent, and specific cold climate challenges: some are directly related to passive house technologies, such as issues with the façade, others indirectly, such as Tromsø being a remote market for material and labour. The project encountered delays, shift in contracts and cost augmentations. Competences had to be developed and combined to achieve the standards of passive house building and the local workforce was complemented by adding workers from other regions and markets; the south and middle Norwegian, Nordic, Baltic and East European countries. Accordingly, the project was not isolated in the northern part of Norway and its challenges appeared to be rather organizational and managerial than technical.
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25.
  • Koch, Christian, 1958, et al. (författare)
  • Culture clash and cultural confirmation: Swedish – Chinese encounters on a Sustainable building scene
  • 2017
  • Ingår i: Buser M., Lindahl G. & Räisänen C. (eds), Proceedings of the 9th Nordic Conference on Construction Economics and Organization. Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenborg. - 9788750211259
  • Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Studies on globalisation often focus on large multinational companies and their strategic options forexpansion. However, statistics show, that also small and mediumsized companies are increasingly ableto internationalise and do so. In a construction setting this is often related to participation or eveninitiation of building projects. In particular, Swedish building companies have a potential competitiveadvantage in the booming market for sustainable building, energy efficiency and energy renovation.This paper studies two cases of Chinese sustainable building projects in the Beijing region where asmall Swedish consultancy company participate. The main aim is to study how culture influence in twoselected energy efficiency building projects involving Swedish and Chinese partners?The frameworkof understanding draws primarily on culture theory, yet also more indirectly on small business,organization and management theories. The method is based on interview and project documents.Interviews is done with representatives from Swedish and Chinese companies collaborating in twoChinese projects. One project is creating new office premises for a Chinese client, the other is a greenhotel project. Both projects are designed, build according to EU green building norms and alsoeventually obtain this certificate. The projects are interrelated and can be seen as first a potential niche,second a (larger) market for the Swedish company in China.Cultural similarities and differencestranscend national distinctions and extend into company cultures related to the companies’ differentroles in the project. The pattern found is thus more of a multiple configuration of cultures than a dualculture clash. Nation, company and sector cultures interact and certain culturally based interpretationsserve to confirm existing understanding of sustainable building projects. It is discussed how smallcompanies are constrained by their cultural ballast, cultural capital. They continually base decisions onsituational judgment within frames posited by their cultures, limited resources and networkdependencies.
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26.
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27.
  • Koch, Christian, 1958, et al. (författare)
  • Information standards - A hinder or an enabler for innovation?
  • 2018
  • Ingår i: Proceeding of the 34th Annual ARCOM Conference, ARCOM 2018. - 9780995546325 ; , s. 27-36
  • Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
    • © Proceeding of the 34th Annual ARCOM Conference, ARCOM 2018. The potential of cost reduction by efficient digital communication in building processes in Sweden has been investigated to be 15-25% of the building sum. An important part of this potential is by using building information standards, such as Omniclass and IFC. This research has aimed at evaluating the use of building information standards and its impact on innovation. Standards are understood as classification of information and rules for building processes. Selected literature help reveal the multiple character of relevant standardization in building and the effects on innovation. Ten types of effect are identified. Three national longitudinal case studies of hospital projects in Scandinavia were carried out. Many barriers for innovation when using standards were found. The regional public authorities can decide to adopt standards locally and in two out of three cases they did not. For the companies this is a business consideration: In the Norwegian case, the proactive adoption of the architect, meant benefits for the client and contractor. However, other actors did not follow. In the Swedish case, BIM coordination was hampered by incompatible design systems. In the Danish case, the client demanded use of Cuneco Classification System, a Danish information standard, but the classification was done in a reactive manner at a late stage. The Danish and the Norwegian case were innovative, but the Swedish less so. Nine out of ten types of effects were found in the cases. Standard-enabled innovations were mixed with other innovations. The two most remarkable were the Danish reverse innovation, and the Norwegian shift of structural concept. The information standards and BIM are closely intertwined in practice. A common database of coded objects in the Danish case is a strong innovation enabled by standards. The use of TFM, in the Norwegian architect project and its subsequent use in site BIM is remarkable.
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28.
  • Koch, Christian, 1958 (författare)
  • Leap forward or Snail Speed? Examining Radical Sustainable Innovation
  • 2017
  • Ingår i: Proceedings World Sustainable Built Environment Conference 2017 Hong Kong (WSBE17).
  • Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Sustainable building appear to progress rapidly these years. The new technological possibilities could be interpreted as radical, but the objective of this paper is to critically examine, whether some parts of sustainable building technology can be understood as radical or whether we rather witness a continued slow and emergent development. The framework of understanding includes concepts of radical innovation, inventions and sustainability. Radical sustainable innovation (RSI) should break away from the customary and be characterized by high degrees of newness in the entire life cycle. RSI should offer significant enhancements of known benefits, entirely new benefits, or substantial cost reductions, leading to the transformation of existing markets, the creation of entirely new possibilities for sustainable balanced growth and RSI should contribute to a sustainable globe. Serious limitations are addressed. For example buildings are large complex products realised through complex processes and with a considerable lifecycle. It appears impossible that an entire building should/could be radically new. the certification standards represent a possible low denominator for measuring radicality, as criteria for newness related to inventions are found not to be instrumental. Methodologically a selection of international cases of office buildings with very high scores of BREEAM, LEED and DGNB are examined. “Protected economy” cases are sorted away in line with the developed criteria for radical innovation. The result shows that a portfolio of office buildings have reached substantially higher level of sustainability than contemporary building regulations (such as those in EU). There is indeed a gap between a few, substantially more sustainable buildings and the majority of buildings, indicating some radicality, yet not identified as radical innovation here.
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29.
  • Koch, Christian, 1958, et al. (författare)
  • Learning how to grow – Management Competences in play at an International Acquisition by a Medium-Sized, Swedish Engineering Company
  • 2017
  • Ingår i: Buser M., Lindahl G. & Räisänen C. (eds), Proceedings of the 9th Nordic Conference on Construction Economics and Organization. Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg. - 9788750211259
  • Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
    • It has become increasingly important for also medium-sized building companies to internationalise.Many of these companies are not ready for that development and top level management need to learnhow to carry out steps of internationalisation. The aim of this paper is to create a competency modelfor top management teams of medium-sized, building companies and then second investigate a case ofa Swedish Engineering company, 3000 staff, doing an expansion to Norway. The analysis leads to afurther developed competency model for top management. The framework of understanding consistsof an overarching category, competency, and four further; leadership and teamwork, uncertainty, riskand resistance, international expansion, and cultural issues.Then empirical material, enables insightsand arguments that supports and/or contradicts the theoretical data for each of the identifiedcompetences. Three additional competencesis derived from the case study, leading to a total of tencompetences: learning during change, strategic leadership, dealing with risk and contingencies,embrace and redirect resistance, synergy orientation, managing local responsiveness, culturalmindsetappointing qualified personnel, efficient communication and business mindset.Missingcompetenceswere acquired through external consultants or recruitment. To achieve the desiredsynergies,management uses detailed checklists and processes, and place a person with a very stronginternal network as responsible for the integration project. Additionally, the findings indicate somemanagement focus on organizational culture.Managementassumed that through learning and adaptingto the organisational cultures, one automatically takes the national culture into account.
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30.
  • Koch, Christian, 1958, et al. (författare)
  • Learning in sociomaterial practices -a case of embedded systems development
  • 2016
  • Ingår i: Proceedings 39th IRIS.
  • Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Embedded systems are an important element of internet of things. Embedded systemsdevelopment and learning are inseparable. Hence, this paper presents a study of wind turbine control systemsand the developers’ learning and hope to contribute to the understanding of embedded systems developmentand practice based learning. Our approach focuses on the sociomaterial practices including the interactionbetween constitutive means and the developers’ individual experience; central matters in this frameworkinvolve the concepts of anchoring of indeterminate situation and strip of doings towards determinatesituation. The case of embedded systems development addresses hardware, software, their integration and thedesign and production of the physical product. Learning does occur, enabled by converging anchoring of theindeterminate situation and the systems developers’ different experience. The case shows the embeddedsystems developers’ concerns over intellectual property, which limits learning. The contribution is theunderstanding of the individual systems developer’s learning and the mechanisms of enablers and obstaclesin the learning processes.
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31.
  • Koch, Christian, 1958, et al. (författare)
  • Let the grunts do it! - studying the embedding of a multidisciplinary master education in an educational institution
  • 2016
  • Ingår i: 2nd International Conference on Higher Education Advances (HEAd), Valencia, SPAIN, JUN 21-23, 2016. - : Elsevier BV. - 1877-0428. ; 228, s. 257-264
  • Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Despite much attention interdisciplinary educations still struggle to make full foothold in higher education. This paper study how an interdisciplinary master education can become embedded in education institutions. Educational research and institutional theory is used to conceptualise the interdisciplinary aspect and institutional change work. The case, Innokick, is a new education introduced in Switzerland. The education recruit engineers, business economists, and design bachelors. Cross disciplinary collaboration is central in the education as is close encounter with external enterprises and organisations that provide tasks for the students. The students develop prototypes of applications, products, a business model and business plan. The research fieldwork encompassed interviews, study of documentation and participants' observation. The study show how relatively low rank employees, the grunts, is left with realizing a strategy of making cross disciplinary, cross institutional and research based education. In an entrepreneurial spirit the first semester showed how a strong culture developed yet many aspect under construction. Challenges include tightening the interdisciplinary teachers' team, overcoming mono-disciplinary cultures at the involved education institutions, strengthening research and future employment for the students of the master. (C) 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open acess article under the CC BY-NC-ND license.
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32.
  • Koch, Christian, 1958 (författare)
  • Machine Learning for Engineering Processes
  • 2019
  • Ingår i: Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing. - Cham : Springer International Publishing. - 1865-1356 .- 1865-1348. ; 354, s. 325-336
  • Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Buildings are realized through engineering processes in projects, that however tend to result in cost and/or time overrun. Therefore, a need is highlighted by the industry and the literature, to develop predictive models, that can aid in decision-making and guidance, especially in a preparation effort before production is initiated. This study aims at investigating what are possible applications of machine learning in building engineering projects and how they impact on their performance? First, a literature review about machine learning (ML) is done. The first case is drawing on a productivity survey of building projects in Sweden (n = 580). The most influential factors behind project performance are identified, to predict performance. Features that are strongly correlated with four performance indicators are identified: cost variance, time variance and client- and contractor satisfaction and a regression analysis is done. Human related factors predict success best, such as the client role, the architect performance and collaboration. But external factors and technical aspects of a building are also important. The second case combines constructability and risk analysis on a basis on civil engineering project from several different countries and with very different character; a town square, a biogas plant, road bridges and sub projects from an airport. The data encompasses 30 projects. The development build on literature study, expert interview, unsupervised and supervised learning. The strength lies more in the conceptual work of risk sources enabled by ML. Human reasoning is needed in building projects. Also after the introduction of ML.
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33.
  • Koch, Christian, 1958, et al. (författare)
  • Making an engine: performativities of building information standards
  • 2017
  • Ingår i: Building Research and Information. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1466-4321 .- 0961-3218. ; 45:6, s. 596-609
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Digitization of buildings requires the systematic handling of a variety and volumes of data. It is a common vision to aim for coordinated homogenization of data structures, enabled by the classification of information. This paper studies the role of building information standards for classification in digitization of the building life cycle. It draws on science and technology studies of information technology standards, big data and building information modelling (BIM) in building research. The approach is based on performativity of standards for information systems, viewing performativity as potentially non-linear and multiple. The five-year design process of a large hospital in Denmark is examined as episodes of performance of the building information standard, particularly one recent standard, the Cuneco Classification System (CCS). The study shows that despite client demands, several building information standards are active over time: an expansive' design brief process adds user demands and uses room classification. Another process diminishes the design brief more than 50%, with several standards in use. The client's facilities management system, which performs the structuring of data backwards' into the design process, makes architects and engineers (but not contractors) use CCS. This fragmentation of performing standards is denoted multiple performativities' and includes temporal and compartmental performativity.
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34.
  • Koch, Christian, 1958, et al. (författare)
  • Mechatronics business challenges
  • 2016
  • Ingår i: Proceedings 23rd European Operations Management conference EUROMA 2016.
  • Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Mechatronics businesses has blossomed for some time, yet still exhibit potential for further growth and development. The objective here is to explore which challenges mechatronics businesses faces. The theory draws on operations strategy, mechatronics and business development. It includes performance indicators of mechatronics business development. Five firms in Switzerland, were investigated. They operate within manufacturing machines and automation. High value innovation are crucial for competitiveness. The important performance indicators found included precision, speed, productivity, flexibility reliability, speedy calibration and production costs. Two companies needed diversification and three independency of clients. We found close interconnectedness between mechatronic technical and business issues.
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35.
  • Koch, Christian, 1958, et al. (författare)
  • Mechatronics: From systems combination to business integration
  • 2015
  • Ingår i: Proceedings Management of the technology age. Portland International Conference in Management, Engineering of Technology (PICMET 2015). Portland, OR, AUG 02-06, 2015. - 2159-5100. - 9781890843328 ; 2015-September, s. 1576-1584
  • Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
    • The mechatronics approach has been around fordecades, but many companies still struggle realising the businesspotential inherent in successful combination, or even integrationof enabling technologies in systems for mechanical, computing,metrology, and control topics. And the challenges are not onlylinked to combining systems, but also to realise them as productsand create business value doing it.This paper takes an investigative stance and study a systemsand product development process, asking what enablers andbarriers it encompasses for realising an integrated mechatronicsbusiness, drawing on business model and mechatronictheoretical approaches.The case is development of wind turbines and their controlsystems. The SME, with long term experience of control systemsfor one turbine manufacturer, was approached by another withrather different ideas for the combined product, the windturbine. Through an ethnographic study the collaborationprocess in the multinational project organisation was followed.The study shows how several types of engineering, sales,managerial and manufacturing concerns are woven together,but also disrupted over time. The transformation of a salesoriented (product) specification into technical specificationproves problematic, issues of protection of company criticalcompetences occurs, as well as technical and businessintegration issues on mechatronics engineering.
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36.
  • Koch, Christian, 1958, et al. (författare)
  • Missed opportunities: two case studies of digitalization of FM in hospitals
  • 2019
  • Ingår i: Facilities. - 0263-2772. ; 37:7-8, s. 381-394
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Purpose: Digital practices of facility management (FM) are undergoing transformation. Several Nordic countries have ambitious hospital-building projects, driven by large public clients with long-term experience of operating complex building campuses. There is thus an opportunity for creating state-of-the-art digital FM. This paper aims to investigate the role of digital FM in new hospital projects in Scandinavia. Design/methodology/approach: Based on a literature review, a framework of understanding of digital FM in hospital operation is established. Two longitudinal cases are presented and analysed, one for a Greenfield hospital and the other for an extension of an existing hospital. Findings: The literature highlights the importance of integration between technical digitalization, competences, organization and management of digital FM. The projects are in different phases and represent quite advanced preparations for digital FM. State-of-the-art computer-aided FM systems are prepared before operation. External consultants are involved, posing a dilemma of in-house/outsourced human resources in the future digital FM operation. Research limitations/implications: Two case studies provide insights, but they have limited generalizability. Practical implications: The study underscores the importance of preparation of management, organization and competences for digitalization. Originality/value: Documented research on building information modelling (BIM) integrations in FM is still scarce. This article adds to the few empirical studies in the area. The findings illustrate that real estate administrators investing in FM software for new hospital buildings face challenges of aligning BIM models from design and construction to the FM system.
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37.
  • Koch, Christian, 1958, et al. (författare)
  • Mixing Hot and Cold: Fiery Soul Architects Creating Sustainable Buildings in the Arctic
  • 2018
  • Ingår i: Cold Climate HVAC 2018, Sustainable Buildings in Cold Climates. - Cham : Springer International Publishing. - 9783030006624 ; , s. 1075-1083
  • Bokkapitel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
    • A small Swedish architectural firm performs a strategy to internationalize in Sweden, Denmark and Norway, even into the most northern parts, Lofoten and Svalbard. These countries and areas exhibit similarities and differences, providing opportunity and barriers for architectural businesses to expand. Three strands of literature are used, business of architectural firm, internationalization, and strategy. The empirical material from the Swedish architectural firm, is gathered through semi-structured interviews and desktop research. The findings indicate that, when the firm executes its business outside local boundaries, three dimensions of strategy must be performed: (1) firm’s services are required by international clients. (2) Opportunity has to be provided and firm must response with flexibility. (3) The service, finally, is executed through an international project where synergy and customization are performed. The strategizing should inseparably relate to the multifaceted situation.
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38.
  • Koch, Christian, 1958, et al. (författare)
  • Operations Strategy Development in Project-based Production –A Political Process Perspective
  • 2015
  • Ingår i: Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management. - 1741-038X. ; 26:4, s. 501-514
  • Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to study how operations strategy (OS) innovation occurs ina project-centred production and organisation.Design/methodology/approach – A longitudinal case study encompassing the processes at theheadquarters of the company and in two projects using lean.Findings – The operation strategy development commences at a middle level in the organisation, isunderpinned and embedded in production projects and only after several years becomes embedded inthe corporate operation strategy. Projects use lean principles in a differentiated manner.Research limitations/implications – A qualitative case study provides insight into only a singleoccasion of change in OS. More case studies would probably reveal several paths of OS development.OS development need to be handled as emergent, political and with contributions from severalmanagers and management levels, bridging the vertical divides between projects and headquarter.Practical implications – A conscious and systematic vertical integration and interaction is crucial inproject-based companies doing operation strategy development, something critically difficult atbuilding contractors.Originality/value – The present study contributes to the small body of studies of OS developmentprocesses, by providing insight in how project-based companies renew their operation strategy.
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39.
  • Koch, Christian, 1958, et al. (författare)
  • Operations Strategy for Maintaining Competitiveness in a European Automotive Company
  • 2015
  • Ingår i: 24th International Association for Management of Technology Conference: Technology, Innovation and Management for Sustainable Growth, IAMOT 2015, The Westin Cape Town, South Africa, 8-11 June 2015. - 9781775921110 ; , s. 2522-2532
  • Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
    • The automotive industry is mostly known for its large concentration on a few global players. However the industry also encompasses a series of small and medium-sized enterprises, either as suppliers or as value adders, focused on smaller submarkets. This paper focuses on the specific situation in the automotive industry of a medium-sized manufacturer of tankers for trucks in the road transport industry. The company delivers design, manufacturing and service of high quality products to its customers within an engineer-to-order and manufacture-to-order market. The company faces a range of conflicting demands. The company operates in Northern Europe and benefits from proximity to its customers, yet experiences pressure from low cost, volume manufacturer competitors. Its operations strategy focuses on improving efficiency while maintaining the high value adding element to meet the needs of its identified market. The paper provides a case analysis aimed at evaluating the company’s operation strategy, and more specifically its efforts to improve layout, and synchronizing material flows and bills of materials, where the use of kits, bundles of materials and location of stocks, are prominent aspects of production. An operations management theoretical framework is adopted including material handling and layout concepts. The contribution builds on interviews with key informants within the company as well as document analysis and the presence of one author within the company over a longer period. The paper evaluates the development of the company’s operations strategy. It describes the analysis made of internal logistics and the bills of material as well as the role of business strategy, market and fluctuations in personnel numbers, together with the operations strategy steps taken subsequently.
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40.
  • Koch, Christian, 1958, et al. (författare)
  • Performance of retrofit with ICT of social housing - Proving technology optimists wrong?
  • 2018
  • Ingår i: Proceeding of the 34th Annual ARCOM Conference, ARCOM 2018. ; , s. 667-676
  • Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
    • The costs of social housing retrofit are critical for social housing companies, for efforts to build sustainable cities, and for society. Compared to available resources, retrofits are deemed costly, and there is a need to improve productivity. One approach is to realise digital integration and (partial) automation processes, creating more performative digital practices. However what digitalisation should target and its scope is difficult to decide. Even standard concepts like Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) have many variants. To capture the performance gain of digitalisation requires measurement methods, while most methods are designed for new built and production, and does not appreciate the costs and values that characterize retrofit using digital practices. This paper aims at conceptualizing a method for understanding performance in digitalized retrofit of social housing. A review of approaches to productivity, efficiency and performance is done. Values produced are multidimensional and cannot be reduced to costs per m2. Performance is proposed conceptualized as values produced for clients, tenants and companies, and then compared to costs and effects of the digital practices. The context is two phases of a large Scandinavian retrofit project, followed by a longitudinal study using a mixed method approach. The social housing consists of 900 apartments in blocks and in row houses at 70.000 m2. The refurbishment encompasses new bath rooms, ventilation and parts of the building envelope. A gradual VDC implementation is carried out, avoiding an ambitious overall implementation. The performance is dependent of hybrid ICT and organizational practices, where the interaction with tenants is important. It is therefore a hybrid set of factors that lever performance, including intense coordination among contractors, continual communication, interaction with tenants and the craftsmen's learning during production. The impact of ICT is more indirect. Technology optimism or not, It is not technology alone that improves the performance.
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41.
  • Koch, Christian, 1958 (författare)
  • Productivity measurement - the social construction of reduction through expansion
  • 2018
  • Ingår i: Proceeding of the 34th Annual ARCOM Conference, ARCOM 2018. ; , s. 677-686
  • Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
    • A recent large-scale measurement of productivity in Swedish construction involved some 880 respondents and around 500 projects. It covers construction costs, lead time, use of manpower and management in the building of office buildings, public institutions, and civil engineering. Measurements were done through questionnaires and telephone interviews, aspects of productivity such as project start and end, project costs, use of manpower, major disturbances in the process. The results showed a remarkable variety of almost all parameters including cost levels per square-meter building and meters infrastructure (roads, bridges). The aim here is to critically scrutinize the construct of such an investigation. What kind of inclusions and exclusions of concepts and devices are made to stabilize the result? What kind of value does it represent for stakeholders? Drawing on Science Technology and Society concepts, such as qualculative practices and sociology of calculation, it is argued that the social construction of this investigation actually merely represents an everyday event in a society completely penetrated by auditing regimes. Building up the social network of the investigation, involves negotiation of relevance and rigor. Methodologically the scrutiny builds on self-reflection of the main author of the productivity investigation and interactions with researchers and key stakeholders. There is no more need to be modest about productivity measures, than many other big data bombardments of everyday life. Actually, most productivity measures are built on respondent's interpretation. This goes for national statistical bureaus, but it also goes for most productivity research. "Reduction" is and recurrent in the calculation process. It occurs when reducing the value of a building to square-meters, or the initiation and finalization of a building into two dates. "Expansion" is also in play following rules of large volumes of respondents, but performing in a surprising manner as it produces a representation of large variation in building projects.
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42.
  • Koch, Christian, 1958, et al. (författare)
  • Project performance-an Emerging Constellation of Multiple Institutions
  • 2017
  • Ingår i: Chan, P W and Neilson, C J (Eds) Proceeding of the 33rd Annual ARCOM Conference, 4-6 September 2017, Cambridge, UK, Association of Researchers in Construction Management.. - 9780995546318 ; , s. 522-531
  • Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Project performance is often conceptualised as a few quantitative and disjointed parameters, like the classical time, cost and quality triangle, or the balanced scorecard's four fragmented dimensions. Rarely, is sociological theory mobilized to appreciate the complexity of a project's performance. However, a design-build project's performance can be conceptualized through the lens of institutional work and as a result, be understood as an emerging constellation of multiple institutions. To understand potential relationships between institutional processes and project performance, an ex-post study was conducted of two completed design-build projects. The ex-post study was based on interviews carried out with key participants from the two design-build projects. While each project developed multiple relationships between institutions over the course of the project, the projects were characterized by particular constellations of institutions which we denote 'settled domination' and 'conflict and competition'. Settled domination resulted in project performance that pre-dominantly satisfied the dominant institutions while project participants expected and more-or-less accepted that remaining institutions were compromised. Conflict and competition resulted in project performance characterized by a mix of compromised and uncompromised institutions. Overall, the two projects show that project performance is an emerging qualitative concept that gradually settles during the aftermath of the building phase.
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43.
  • Koch, Christian, 1958, et al. (författare)
  • Realising “Near Zero Carbon” Building Regulation – Comparing Sustainable Housing Developments In Denmark And Sweden
  • 2017
  • Ingår i: Ruddock, L, Van-Dijk, H and Houghton, CAM, (eds.) 2017, International Research Conference 2017: Shaping Tomorrow's Built Environment - conference proceedings, University of Salford, Salford, UK. - 9781912337040 ; , s. 139-150
  • Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Over the last ten years standards for sustainable building have become increasingly tight. Central in this development is the EU, and subsequently national, regulation. From 2002 these have defined both prescriptive energy criteria and more performative regulation of “near zero carbon” sustainability to enable local and national innovation to flourish. The shifts in regulation regime are analysed, asking: Have the policy mixes and regime shifts given the intended impact on a transition toward zero carbon? Theoretically, institutional and political science concepts of public regulation are used, providing a review of regulation forms and their relation to innovation. Other paradigms of sustainable housing are viewed as competing institutions, using “anticipative institutionalisation” for the process where rules are installed before they are law. A comparative study between Sweden and Denmark of the responses to the call for near zero carbon regulation is done. The investigation shows that the zero carbon regulation exhibits differences between the countries both in their substantive elements and in the soft law initiatives. The anticipative institutionalisation before 2020 is compared to that of 2010 and 2015. Even if the results are not impressive, performative regulation can be said to better respond to the continual process of improving sustainability.
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44.
  • Koch, Christian, 1958 (författare)
  • Reduction or Revaluing In Cost Constrained Design? Reverse innovation conceptualized
  • 2017
  • Ingår i: Proceeding of the 33rd Annual Conference of Association of Researchers in Construction Management. - 9780995546318 ; , s. 186-195
  • Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Where construction research and practice are ripe with examples of cost overrun, it rests predominantly with practical accounts when it comes to systematic reductions in functionality and other aspects of building design to avoid scope and cost creep. Research on such systematic reductions are rare. An emerging research literature on reverse innovation propose ways to understand such efforts. The rise of developing countries as emerging markets triggered a geographically oriented notion of reverse innovation denoting a product or service with limited functionality and a low price developed in a developing country, and later introduced in an advanced country. However, second generation conceptualizations include reverse innovation reducing cost and pricing, but also adding new values of the product or service addressing potential clients in a new way. As most reverse innovation examples communicated are simple consumer products, there is a potential in addressing more complex built products to commence conceptualizing processes and practices of reverse innovation in building, promising access to markets where high end complex build products otherwise cannot enter. The aim is to explore a possible conceptualization of reverse innovation of complex built products and gather insights of reverse innovation processes from praxis cases. The cases of reverse innovation exhibit different features and processes, Where the precedent reverse innovation literature tend to dismiss reduction strategies with departure at a high end product, this practice appear to be recurrent in construction. Once faced with a potential, estimated cost overrun some building designers would follow an ad hoc strategy of reduction in functionality until the cost target is reached. This can lead to a “cut evenly across functional areas – cut one functional area out” dilemma. But also to more proactive strategies, such as offshoring of design work, shift of suppliers, global sourcing, and international expansion. Implications for the building sector are presented.
  •  
45.
  • Koch, Christian, 1958, et al. (författare)
  • Sitting between two chairs: Introducing social sustainability in three large Swedish contractor companies
  • 2015
  • Ingår i: Proceedings of the 31st Annual Association of Researchers in Construction Management Conference, ARCOM 2015, Lincoln, United Kingdom, 7-9 September 2015. - 9780955239090 ; , s. 397-406
  • Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Recently the largest Swedish contractors have advertised social sustainability as a new competence in their social housing portfolios. They have created organisational functions related to the concept 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 one in-depth case study juxtaposed with two other cases we analyse how the in-depth case company has tried to introduce social sustainability in its organisation and why it has failed to do so. We show that the two others are far thinner in their claim of social sustainability. The case studies include interviews, workshops, grey publication and advertising material. We draw on the theoretical concepts of hybrid organisation, project based organisation, marketing and sustainable leadership approaches, in particular the concept of "ambivalent supplication" defined by Parkin 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 and the differing definitions of sustainability across cultures.
  •  
46.
  • Koch, Christian, 1958, et al. (författare)
  • Small players - large challenges – energy plus renovation of public housing in small towns.
  • 2017
  • Ingår i: Buser M., Lindahl G. & Räisänen C. (eds), Proceedings of the 9th Nordic Conference on Construction Economics and Organization. Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg. - 9788750211259
  • Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Public housing is often built in large quantities and in concentrated areas. The original focus on costefficiency represents a challenge of creating sustainable buildings in contemporary society. Largeportfolios ofbuildingsneed renovation appreciating future demands of energy consumption andeconomic, environmental and importantly social sustainability. New energy producing renewabletechnologies represent an important opportunity to meet these challenges.However, apart from thedominant agenda of large companiesin suburbs ofthe larger cities in Europe and Swedish towns, a seriesof small public housing companies exists which have parallel challenges, but receive far less attentionfrom institutional players such as government authorities, researchers and policy makers.The aim of this contribution is to analyse challenges and opportunities of doingenergy plus renovationof small public housing companies in Sweden and to develop a possible roadmap for meeting thechallenges.The theoretical framework draw on organisation, management in construction, politicalscience and economics and energy renovation literature to conceptualise small organisationscharacteristics, and building processes of renovation.The empirical material has been done incollaboration with one company, literature study and interviews over a period of a year.The resultsshow that the limited resources of small public housing companies can be tackled by providing extramanpower in the purchasing process and further in the renovation process. And by purchasing,organising and using a network for knowledge, including energy producing and energy savingtechnologies. If the rental is to be kept stable, it requires a new financial model for the public housingcompany. The roadmap developed in the project for doing energy plus renovation is presented,involving all phases of purchasing, design, building and operation. It involves systematic participationof tenants. It is structured in seven main phases to support the roadmaps role as a tool.
  •  
47.
  •  
48.
  • Koch, Christian, 1958, et al. (författare)
  • SORTING THINGS OUT? MACHINE LEARNING IN COMPLEX CONSTRUCTION PROJECT
  • 2019
  • Ingår i: Proceedings of the European Conference on Computing in Construction. ; , s. 65-74
  • Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
    • This research includes answers from 324 main contractor representatives and 256 clients for a survey in Sweden, 2014. The literature review covers project management success in construction projects. A statistical correlation method is used to select the features that are strongly correlated with three performance indicators: cost variance, time variance and client-and contractor satisfaction. A linear regression prediction model is presented. The conclusion is an identification of the most correlating factors to project performance, and that human related factors in the project life cycle have higher impact on project success than the external factors and technical aspects of buildings.
  •  
49.
  • Koch, Christian, 1958, et al. (författare)
  • Start up or no go? Governance of large public R&D programs
  • 2016
  • Ingår i: 12th European Conference on Management Leadership and Governance. - 2048-9021. - 9781911218197 ; , s. 140-147
  • Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Large public-funded R&D programs contain a host of projects and potential for developing start-ups. Several governance models have been suggested for this. The paper draws on startup-, R&D -, program- and portfolio management literature. The aim is to study how start-ups and R&D programs can interact, and to discuss whether publically governed R&D centers are instrumental for start-ups. The development and operation of an R&D center are seen as an emergent combination of organizational politics and learning processes. The case is a four-year ex ante longitudinal study of a development program aiming at making information standards for building products and processes. The standards encompasses relations between product components, design, production and operation processes and more. The research program involved four start-ups. The R&D center was mandated by government to an industry association. The study encompasses around 50 interviews, 20 meeting observations, and extensive document analysis. Through interviews with the start-up companies, it is studied how the companies developed and contributed, and what kind of challenges and opportunities the program and the start-ups faced during the program’s journey.A series of challenges occurred; recruiting project leaders, coordinating projects, continual stakeholder management, renewing strategy and vision, and securing progression. Central parts of the program were a collaboration with the start-up consultancy companies. This proved an efficient governance frame, assuring progression, agility and mediation of stakeholders’ interests.The R&D center’s aim and tasks were close to a market-ready business concept usable by the start-ups. Also, a relatively simple project-contracting model proved fruitful for them. However, the relation between the R&D center and the start-ups was ambiguous, and the start-ups would have preferred to deliver more projects. Also some young professionals, contributing to the R&D and prone to become entrepreneurs, did not do so. For them this center was a “no go” for start-up.
  •  
50.
  • Koch, Christian, 1958, et al. (författare)
  • Sweet tooth, soothsaying or serious business? Forecasting the building activities in a town area
  • 2017
  • Ingår i: Buser M., Lindahl G. & Räisänen C. (eds), Proceedings of the 9th Nordic Conference on Construction Economics and Organization. Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg. - 9788750211259
  • Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
    • Urban developments are in many ways in a continual tension between fragmentation, dispersion andcontrolled plans and many actors, with vested political interests are contributing to these tendencies.The building industryare interested in, have an appetite for growth and/or at least maintaining theirshare of the upcoming building projects. The Gothenburg area, with some 1 million inhabitants, are noexception to the above characterization. Numerous plans and developments are flourishing, and in thedebate, actors state from 78 to 125 million euros in investments in infrastructure, new publicinstitutions, dwellings and housing etc.The aim of this paper is to generate a forecast for the needed manpower given the planned buildingactivities in the Gothenburg area. And to critically scrutinize the context, the method and the results.Thepaper’s conceptual framework build on approaches to forecasting urban, industrial and labour marketdevelopments. The paper describes these different approaches, with different scope andconceptualisation of the dynamics. We take issue with forecasts building on implicit linear prognosis,with their inbuilt modern ideology, and introduce concepts of fragmentation, dispersion and emergenceto better account such elements in our forecast.The material for the paper comes from a collaborationwith the local industry. Generating the forecast encompasses a host of methodological challenges.Triangulation of other previous investigations were used and these adopted different concepts andscope in time and geographical area. A critique of the value of the gathered material and our ownplatform will be carried out. Are even this forecast merely an expression of the local industry’s tastefor growth, which come to represent a candy for them?The result shows a very considerable need for new manpower over the next ten years. Using combinedforecasts the calculation reach estimates between 17 and 25,000 new employees per year. A largeuncertainty mirroring the shaky basis of the forecast. The contributiondiscuss mitigation strategieswhich include education, mobilizing refugees, and global sourcing. When taken as serious business thelocal community with all its players have work to do, if the region is to live up to demands of futurewelfare society.
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