Procuring innovation or triggering fragmentation?

A multiple case-study analysis of the interactions between construction design and façade specialist sub-contractors in Australia.

Image: Peter Casamento

Recent scholarly research of international impact from Australia in the field of construction innovation discusses at a theoretical level, the role of construction innovation as a potential disseminator of new technical knowledge (Tombesi, 2006) or by identifying ‘key influences’ (Blayse and Manley, 2004) which may drive it or hinder it. Combining and expanding on these previous experiences, this research project investigates issues of construction innovation at the level of the specialist façade sub-contractors and in the context of the building typology of multistorey University buildings in Australia. This research aims to contribute to the discussion on construction innovation by providing first-hand industry data from the perspective of the sub-contractors and by doing a qualitative assessment of construction innovation opportunities in relation to the dynamics established by the most widely adopted procurement systems in Australia.

This project was funded via the Brookfield Multiplex Research Program.

Project details

Major Sponsor

Brookfield Multiplex Research Awards program

Project Team

Blair Gardiner (University of Melbourne)
Giorgio Marfella (University of Melbourne)

Contact

Blair Gardiner