implementation process of innovative ideas in construction

7/29/2019 Implementation Process of Innovative Ideas in Construction

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Implementation Process of Innovative Ideasin Construction


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INTRODUCTION

According to the definition of innovation by Ozorhon et al (2010) innovation is

the formation and implementation of new knowledge to develop the value of

life.

This agrees with the opinion of Jones and Saad (2003) who defined innovation

as a new idea that leads to enhanced performance.

According to Oxford dictionary, implementation is the process of putting a

decision or plan into effect - execution.

This essay discusses the implementation process of innovation in construction

whether at project or industry level. The figure below is a diagrammatic

illustration of the core of this write-up.

Fig 1.1: Innovation implementation process (Ozorhon et al 2010)


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STEPS FOR IMPLEMENTING INNOVATIVE IDEAS

Having an innovative idea is one thing and having an effective implementation

of the idea is another. Thus, implementation is often one of the challenges that

project managers encounter in converting ideas into principles. Discussed

below are some helpful steps compiled from the works of experts in the field

which a project manager should follow in implementing innovative ideas:

Feasibility/Viability study: Successful innovation implementation demands

deliberation on the social and organizational framework which it is to be

carried out in (Harty, 2005). Before proceeding with the implementation of an

innovative idea, the project manager or implementer needs to carry out a

viability check during which issues, such as whether or not the idea has been

tested, will be considered. This will better prepare the project manager, the

client, the workforce and all stakeholders in the project for the task ahead,

especially if the idea is entirely new and untested (Lecture notes, 2011)

Strategic planning: The initiation of a new technique or idea into an

organisation requires adequate deliberation and preparation (Cooper et al,2005). According to Cooper et al (2005), strategizing plans early in the project,

enables the project manager to allocate the available resources to every

phase and part of the innovation he intends to implement. Planning allows the

project manager to handle the impact or result of the injection of new ideas

into the system. This impact could come in the form of additional cost,

increased project duration and/or more work. With adequate planning, theproject manager is able to analyse issues such as where the extra funds will

come from and how it is to be allocated; programming to accommodate the

extra time and resource allocation amongst personnel to cover the extra work

created (Lecture notes, 2011).

Know-how appraisal: The issue of technical know-how comes should be

considered, giving rise to the question of whether or not the available human


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resources possess the required skills to implement the innovative idea, since

qualified labour force, capable of carrying out certain innovations is scarce in

the construction industry (Ozorhon et al, 2010) Depending on the outcome of

this assessment, personnel training may be required for implementation to be

successful.

Financial appraisal: Some procedures that required in the process of

implementing innovative ideas could have financial impact on the organization.

For example, personnel training during a process based innovation or the

acquisition of new equipment in the case of a product based innovation, could

mean an increase in an organizations expenditure. A project manager could

therefore be expected to carry out an appraisal to ascertain the financial

implications of the innovative idea to be implemented. (Lecture notes, 2011)

Setting realistic targets: A project manager has to realise that the desired

change in his organisation and in the construction industry at large cannot be

achieved in one day. Therefore in the implementation of innovative ideas in a

given project, care should be taken to ensure that the targets being set are

realistic and the ideas being put forward are realizable using the available

resources (Lecture notes, 2011)

Analysis of barriers to implementation: Harty (2005) observes that in practice,

real life eventualities obscure the implementation of new ideas and

procedures, and there is not much to aid the implementer through the

demanding process of implementation and dissemination of the innovation.Thus, a project manager should investigate the likely barriers to the successful

implementation of an innovative idea before executing it.

Below are some barriers to the implementation of innovative ideas, compiled

from the works of some authors in the construction industry.


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Risk:A client or a project manager who has a strong aversion to risk may not

be keen on implementing innovating ideas especially if the idea has not been

tested before (Lecture notes, 2011).

Lack of motivation: This can constitute a barrier to the implementation of

innovative ideas because imposing new ideas on a reluctant workforce can

result in failure or partial success (Cooper et al, 2005).

Poor Communication: Sometimes, the fragmentation problem of construction

project team members could hamper the effective dissemination of

information. A non-efficient communication system, vertically or laterally could

be a clog in the wheel of progress in the implementation of innovative ideas. In

order for an innovative idea to be effectively implemented, every project team

member has to be carried along; and this can only be achieved by establishing

a functional and effective communication system ( Harty, 2005).

Insufficient funds: Whilst it is arguable that insufficient funds can be a

hindrance to the implementation of innovative ideas, it is only rational to

consider the fact that except with some reasonable explanation andpersuasion, a client could easily insist on the old way of doing things if the new

and innovative proposal is found to be far more expensive; in which case the

Project manager will have no choice than to shelve the innovative idea

(Lecture notes, 2011)

Nature of the construction Industry: The construction industry has a culture

which is not homogenous across the industry and not only is it adversarial; it is

also resistant to change (Ozorhon et al, 2010). The complexity of construction

projects and the disjointed nature of the construction industry have given rise

to unsynchronized project implementation processes. (Kagioglou et al, 2008)

This could sabotage the project managers strategies in implementing

innovative ideas as cooperation and integration are required for innovation

implementation.


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Unwillingness to change: According to Harty (2005 p. 521) research findings

suggest that the make-up of construction work, added to the long established

disunity between fields and organizations and conventional methods of

working, hinder efforts to pioneer innovations or new schemes. For instance,

according to Green (2011), although as a whole, the principles of Rethinking

construction as put forward in 1998 by John Egan

(constructingexcellence.org.uk) could be described as dynamic and very

innovative, it could be observed that the implementation thereof has left much

to be desired across the UK construction industry, mostly due to level of

acceptance by the industry players.

Poor planning:According to Ozorhon et al (2010), there is no alternative to

good planning. Inadequate planning could therefore be a barrier to innovation

implementation as the benefits of innovation can only be achieved through

planned effort to invest in new ideas and convert them into practice (Ozorhon

et al, 2010).


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RISKS INVOLVED IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF INNOVATIVE IDEAS

If the right steps are taken in the implementation of innovative ideas, great

results can be achieved; this however does not preclude the fact that there are

some attendant risks involved in the process. The following are some of such

risks:

Financial risk: Construction projects are generally known to over shoot budget

and due to the fact that innovation is frequently categorized as a cost-

intensive, investment, many clients tend to avoid financial risks through their

propensity to award projects based on the lowest cost (Na Lim et al, 2010).

Health and safety risk: Some safety practices have been instilled into some

construction personnel overtime due to practice and experience. When new

ideas are introduced, new skills may be required also in the implementation

thereof and the lack of expertise in these new skills may give rise to an

increase in site accidents, thereby making the personnel more prone to risk at

work.

Unpredictability of outcome: The outcome of construction projects regarding

cost, time and satisfaction of client objectives cannot be accurately predicted

from the outset (Jones and Saad, 2003). This seemingly makes it risky to

venture into innovation.


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FACILITATORS OF INNOVATIVE IDEAS IMPLEMENTATION

Efficient collaboration: According to Harty (2005), this process which refers to

the team working disposition of an organizations workforce, facilitates a

successful implementation of innovation if adequately managed. Resourceful

teamwork, however, whether inter or intra- organizational depends on efficient

dissemination of information all through the life of a project (Harty, 2005).

Integrated project delivery: According to Kim and Dossick (2011), through the

development of a project teams orientation and culture, as well as the process

of working together, effective integration can be achieved; which will in turn

facilitate the core principle of innovation which is better results in terms of

design and construction. The Project manager should ensure that a less

confrontational attitude exists, laterally and vertically, amongst the personnel

(Cooper et al, 2005).

Previous successes on implementation: understanding the initiation,

improvement, implementation and results of successful innovations within the

construction industry enhances the advancement of the innovative process for

project managers in the industry (Gambatese and Hallowell, 2011). This

shows that information about past implementations of innovative ideas made

available through documentation and research could be an important tool

during the implementation of new ideas.

Motivation: Having a motivated workforce could be resourceful in the

implementation of innovative ideas, because the more enthusiastic theworkers are about the innovative idea, the more willing they would be to offer

their cooperation and contributions towards the successful implementation

thereof (Cooper et al, 2005).

Availability of funds: According to Ozorhon et al (2010), the clients purchasing

power could boost the implementation of innovative ideas, especially in the

case of capital intensive innovations.


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EXAMPLE OF INNOVATION IMPLEMENTATION IN CONSTRUCTION

(SUCCESSFUL CASE)

Case study: The Lancaster University Eco- Residencies Project.

According to Ozorhon et al (2010), the environmentally friendly housingfacilities at Lancaster University is an innovative venture in that it is the first of

its kind, it was designed to promote sustainable living, with the intention that

the facility will emerge a centre of attraction to a growing number of students

from across the United Kingdom and worldwide.

The project, which is a 950-rooms accommodation featuring an energy and

water saving system, is the fourth and last stage of the partnership between

Lancaster University and University Partnerships Programme (UPP) since

2003 when UPP took on the redevelopment of Lancaster Universitys student

housing (www.upp-ltd.com)

The table below contains a summary of the implementation process of the

innovation in the Lancaster University case study, as well as the outcome:
http://www.upp-ltd.com/http://www.upp-ltd.com/


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Fig 1.2: Innovation register for the Lancaster University case study (Ozorhon et al, 2010)


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Case study summary:

The scheme was very outstanding due to its use of a service-focused

innovation approach to idea generation. An important ingredient of successful

delivery of the project was the innovative use of partnering approach (Ozorhon

et al, 2010). Excerpts from the positive comments from students on the project

further show that the implementation of innovation in this project was a huge

success(Ozorhon et al, 2010).


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ADVANTAGES OF IMPLEMENTING INNOVATIVE IDEAS

In order to survive, an organisation must be able to evolve and to be adaptive

to change (Trott, 2005). Implementing Innovative ideas may help a

construction organisation to benefit from the following advantages and more:

Improved corporate image: Successful implementation of innovative ideas

could enable an organization to gain more recognition due to awards received

as a result of the achievement of something new and outstanding (Ozorhon et

al, 2010). For instance, in the case study discussed, the Lancaster

accommodation received a BREEAM Excellent accreditation in 2008

(www.news.lancs.ac.uk)

Enhanced quality of life: As was mention earlier in the introduction of this

write-up, innovation improves the quality and value of life. (Ozorhon et al

2010).

Faster completion time: As with the outcome in the case study discussed

above, innovations often introduce new and better ways of achieving the

project objectives which prove to be generally faster than the traditional

methods (Ozorhon et al, 2010).

Reduced carbon footprint: The outcome of the innovation in the case study

discussed shows that innovation could result in the reduction of the carbon

footprint of the end product, as in this case in which the carbon footprint was

reduced by 30% compared to the traditional alternative (www.upp-ltd.com)

Reduced waste and enhanced Health and Safety: As part of the innovative

process, Off-site manufacturing was used to produce the timber that was used

for construction in the case study discussed and this resulted in the reduction

of the quantity of building materials needed, reduction of waste produced

during the construction; and the enhancement of the health and safety of site

personnel. (Ozorhon et al, 2010)


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DISADVANTAGES OF IMPLEMENTING INNOVATIVE IDEAS

Despite the advantages of implementing innovative ideas discussed above,

there are some disadvantages to it. Some of them are:

Time intensive: Although innovative ideas implementation could reduce the

overall project duration as in the case of the Lancaster University project, it

could lengthen the time taken for certain aspects of the project such as design

if for instance, Building Information Modelling (BIM) is being implemented for

the first time. This therefore depends on the nature of the innovative idea and

the method of implementation (Lecture notes, 2011).

Technical setbacks: Often, it has been found that implementing innovative

ideas present prospective advantages but also brings with it, setbacks

regarding the current techniques and methodologies in the industry (Harty,

2005)

Redundancy: The advent of new ideas and processes sometime render some

skills redundant. For instance, the introduction of BIM has done away with

some less productive aspects of design, rendering some draftsmen redundant

(Lecture notes, 2011).

Higher budget/cost: In the case study above, implementation of innovation

reduced the cost of build, but in some cases, it may increase the cost

depending on certain issues such as whether the resources and skills needed

for the implementation of the innovative idea are already available or wouldhave to be acquired (Lecture notes, 2011).


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SUMMARY/CONCLUSION

Innovation is vital to successful, long term company performance in the

construction industry (Gambatese and Hallowell, 2011) but implementation is

also important. According to Harty (2005), Innovation, be it product-based or

process-based may not be appreciated except within the framework of its

formation and implementation.

There is a saying attributed to Albert Einstein that defines insanity as doing the

same thing the same way, expecting to get a different result

(www.psychologytoday.com). This apparently supports the notion that without

the change that innovation brings, development may not be possible. In other

words, the construction industry may only make motion without progress

unless some changes are incorporated now and then into what is being done

and how it is being done. This, from the writers point of view, is the concept of

innovation.

There are lots of innovative ideas in the construction industry today and more

are springing up (Gann, 2000); but having done this research, the writer has

observed that the engine that drives the machine after all, is implementation.

In other words, whether or not the implementation of an innovative idea is

successfully carried out, determines whether that idea would ever come to

fruition or not; and if the idea is implemented, the process of implementation

determines whether it will be a success or a failure.

Lessons Learnt

The research carried out in the course of preparing this piece of writing has

enlightened me in many ways and I have learnt a lot.

I have learnt that when the time comes to implement an innovative idea as a

practising project manager in future, it would be realistic for me to expect to

encounter some barriers and risks and therefore make early plans to tackle

them.


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I learnt that Implementation of innovative ideas could be very tasking and

risky, but in the long run, the positive impact of an effective implementation

proves that it is worth every stride.

I also learnt that it is a lot easier to generate ideas than it is to transform thoseideas into practice since this demands complex skills, dedication and huge

investment (Ozorhon et al, 2010).


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REFERENCES

Cooper R., Ghassan A., Lee A., Wu S., Fleming A., Kagioglou M. (2005)

Process Management in Design and Construction. Oxford: Blackwell

Publishing.

Green S. (2011) Making Sense of Construction Improvement. London: Willey

Blackwell.

Gambatese, J. and Hallowell, M. 2011. Enabling and Measuring Innovation in

the Construction Industry. Construction Management and Economics. 29(6)

pp. 556-567

Gambatese, J. and Hallowell, M. 2011. Factors that Influence the

Development and Diffusion of Technical Innovations in the Construction

Industry. Construction Management and Economics. 29 (5) pp. 507-517

Gann, D. (2000) Building Innovation Complex Constructs in a changing

world. London: Thomas Telford.

Harty, C. 2005. Innovation in Construction: A Sociology of Technology

Approach. Building Research Information. 33(6) pp. 512-522

Jones, M. and Saad, M. (2003) Managing Innovation in Construction. London:

Thomas Telford.

Kim Y. and Dossick C. S. 2011. What Makes the Delivery of a Project

Integrated? A Case Study of Childrens Hospital, Bellevue, Wa. Lean

Construction Journal. (Special issue) p 53-61

Kagioglou, M. Cooper, R. Aouad, G. and Sexton M. 2008. Rethinking

Construction: the Generic Design and Construction Process Protocol.


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Engineering Construction and Architectural Management Journal. 7(2) pp.

141-153

Lecture Notes (2011) Coursework Brief review lecture delivered by Ricardo

Condinhoto on 27 Oct 2011.

Lecture Notes (2011) Building Information Modelling lecture delivered by

Angela Lee on 20 Oct 2011

Na Lim, J. Schultmann, F. Ofori, G. 2010 Tailoring Competitive Advantages

Derived from Innovation to the needs of Construction firms. Journal of

Construction Engineering and Management. 136(5) pp.568-580

Ozorhon, B. Abbott, C. Aouad, G. and Powell, J. 2010 Innovation in

Construction: A life cycle Approach. Salford Centre for Research and

Innovation in The Built and Human Environment (SCRI). 1(1) pp. 1-46

Trott P. (2005) Innovation Management and New Product Development.

Essex: Pearson Education Limited.

http://www.oxforddictionaries.com (Accessed: 23 October 2011)

http://www.constructingexcellence.org.uk/pdf/lgtf_newsletter (Accessed: 26

October 2011)

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/in-therapy (Accessed: 2 November

2011)

http://news.lancs.ac.uk/Web/News/Pages (Accessed 11 November 2011)

http://www.upp-ltd.com/news/article (Accessed 11 November 2011)
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/http://www.constructingexcellence.org.uk/http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/in-therapyhttp://news.lancs.ac.uk/Web/News/Pageshttp://www.upp-ltd.com/news/articlehttp://www.upp-ltd.com/news/articlehttp://news.lancs.ac.uk/Web/News/Pageshttp://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/in-therapyhttp://www.constructingexcellence.org.uk/http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/

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