Isomorphic pressures to catalyse innovation diffusion in construction project-based organisations : an explanatory case study

Abstract

Innovations are vitally important to the development of an organisation, while the diffusion of innovation (DoI) takes place in varied paces and effectiveness. In contrast with the prolific DoI studies on characteristics of innovation, the communication channels for DoI, and the DoI rate and stages, studies on DoI so far have failed to clearly describe how social factors could influence DoI and the mechanisms behind. On the other hand, while the theory of institutional isomorphism could elegantly describe three types of social pressures that lead to institutional isomorphic changes, most existing studies on institutional isomorphism are investigating societal issues only, instead of looking at how they truly impact DoI. In addition, while most DoI studies are focusing units at organisational or industry level, little research has probed into the “inner life” of construction project-based organisations (PBOs) constituted by project teams, which are powerful entities in terms of value creation, market competition, and innovation diffusion.

The primary aim of this study is to explore how isomorphic pressures, i.e., coercive pressure, mimetic pressure, and normative pressure, can be harnessed to catalyse DoI in construction PBOs. It will address three questions: (a) what are the source factors of isomorphic pressures that can influence DoI in construction PBOs; (b) what are the mechanisms through which isomorphic pressures can influence DoI in construction PBOs; and (c) what strategies can be devised to harness the isomorphic pressures to catalyse DoI in construction PBOs.

I work in one of the top construction company in Hong Kong, and more relevantly, in its exciting innovation department. Based on literature review, and my observation of my company and project teams, I develop a preliminary model to answer the above questions. To validate the research model, an explanatory case study in my company is conducted, wherein mixed methods in data collection and data analysis are adopted. The case study takes a longitudinal approach and is conducted over 3 years from 2017 to 2019. I play two roles in the case study. Firstly, I act as the internal change agent in the innovation department to provide technical support to project teams in implementing the innovation. Secondly, during the DoI process, I also act as an observer who collects feedbacks from the project teams by means of semi-constructed interviews and non-participatory observations. Proper ethical clearance has been sought from my University. By analysing the qualitative and quantitative data collected from the case study and by triangulating these analyses with literature-based discoveries and theoretical debates, the proposed research model is partially validated and further refined.

This study makes theoretical contributions by not only enriching the existing literature on DoI and theory of institutional isomorphism, but also broadening their boundaries to the context of construction PBOs. This research also makes methodological contributions by weaving the non-participatory observations into an explanatory case study, and applying the embedded design of mixed-methods in data analysis. On the practical side, this research provides strategies on how to tactically create isomorphic pressures to catalyse DoI in construction PBOs while avoiding excessive pressures that might hinder such diffusion.