A Review of Methods of Measuring Construction Innovation: a UK Perspective

Innovation is a specific process to exploit change as an opportunity and is consistently found to be associated with organisational success In particular, the construction industry is widely perceived as being among the less innovative sectors, in part due to its project-based and fragmented nature This thesis will address a gap in the knowledge to which organizations systems measure the success of innovation projects and review which projects to select to realise value. The research is positioned in the wider context of the corporate objectives and principally asset management programmes of work. Following an initial review of innovation project selection systems, a set of research questions will be developed to investigate the potential for a new benchmark solely focused on Innovation Potential. It will deliver an original contribution to knowledge by developing an empirically validated conceptual model that consists of the main factors that have an influence, and are influenced by, innovation selection. The Paper will first, systematically review the existing literature in two broad sections: innovation studies within the construction industry and then specifically, the way in which organisations choose which projects to take forward and measure their success. Research studies on innovation measurement in the construction industry are a limited body of knowledge and as characterised by the industry, drivers and barriers appear to be the main focus of the studies. In addition, the majority of construction innovation studies have been carried out by academics with very few from industry. This research will ultimately identify a conceptual framework of the term innovation measurement within construction industry programmes to determine better innovation selection.