Business Design Modeling for Industrialization in Construction: Cooperative Approach
Publication: Journal of Architectural Engineering
Volume 18, Issue 2
Abstract
Currently, atomization and fragmented processes are strong constraints to industrializing the construction industry in Switzerland. Therefore, building construction in Switzerland is still characterized by manual production techniques and small-scaled companies. New strategies and concepts are necessary to empower the players to benefit from industrialization concepts in the client’s value creating process. This paper presents a cooperative business model for grasping the opportunity offered by industrialization in construction. This paper also gives readers an interesting insight into the system theory-based structure of the model and shows how to meet challenges such as the complexity of solution-oriented building processes, the uncontrollability of complex systems and the opportunistic behavior of players. This paper helps researchers and practitioners understand how a complex system of cooperating players may behave and what corridors for (inter)action should be established. Even if a complex system cannot be fully controlled, the model gives enough structure to prevent it from going out of control. The cooperative approach leads to a business model that is mostly free of opportunistic behavior. The cooperative business model enables the Swiss construction industry to increase the prefabrication level of the construction process, to implement mass customization in the prefabrication industry, and to introduce system services in the clients’ solution finding process.
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Acknowledgments
The model in this research project was developed with practical assistance from Stüssi Betonvorfabrikation AG, Dällikon, Switzerland; Halfen Swiss AG, Dällikon, Switzerland; and Zürcher Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaften, Winterthur, Switzerland. The research was financially supported by Die Förderagentur für Innovation KTI (Swiss government innovation agency).
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Information & Authors
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Published In
Journal of Architectural Engineering
Volume 18 • Issue 2 • June 2012
Pages: 164 - 175
Copyright
© 2012. American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Nov 29, 2010
Accepted: Feb 21, 2012
Published online: Feb 23, 2012
Published in print: Jun 1, 2012
Published ahead of production: Jun 15, 2012
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