Organizational Barriers to Productivity and Innovation in Large-Scale, U.S.-Based Photovoltaic System Construction Projects
Publication: Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 139, Issue 10
Abstract
It is important to understand how contemporary organizational structures and behaviors might affect the ability of construction companies to expand into new project types. An attempt is made to develop this understanding by exploring the engineering and construction activities associated with a fairly new, but rapidly growing, project type: large-scale photovoltaic systems, focusing on considerations related to electrical wiring. Drawing from direct involvement and structured observation of over 50 large-scale, U.S.-based photovoltaic projects, it is illustrated how business processes that have negatively impacted conventional projects—such as commercial buildings—also limit productivity and innovation in these new project types. It is asserted that this is a direct result of trained incapacities and other suboptimal organizational constructs that restrict behavioral adaptation toward new projects.
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Acknowledgments
This work was supported in part by the National Science Foundation via the Graduate Research Fellowship Program under Grant 2008073003. The authors thank USA Wire & Cable for its collaboration in this study.
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Published In
Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 139 • Issue 10 • October 2013
Copyright
© 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Feb 16, 2013
Accepted: Jun 21, 2013
Published online: Jul 22, 2013
Published in print: Oct 1, 2013
Discussion open until: Dec 22, 2013
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