Technology management in the construction industry

Abstract

Innovation is of high importance for the growth and competitive strength of an industry or nation (Woll 1990, p. 55, pp. 399-421). R&D (research and development) expenditure of construction firms varies between 0.1 to 1.0 percent, while firms in other industries spend between 5 to 10 percent of their turnover on R&D. Since the beginning of the 1980's, many successful companies have modified their conventional activities of marketing, acquisition and cost-cutting by developing R&D and technology strategies (Peters/Waterman 1988, p. 201). A major objective of this research is to analyse why R&D is not sponsored as intensively by construction companies as it is in other industries. This research will also investigate attitudes towards R&D and identify potential research areas for the construction industry.