A Faceted Classification System for Innovation in the Construction Industry

Several theories and conceptual frameworks have been developed over the years to understand the processes, mechanisms and impacts related to innovation in the construction industry. Many challenges remain however, in its conceptualization, particularly in terms of identifying and understanding its components and how they are articulated. While innovation in the construction industry has led to new perspectives on how the industry designs, delivers and maintains the built environment, its implementation remains a considerable challenge for industry stakeholders. To reap its oft-promised benefits, companies need to identify and evaluate innovations that can be effectively deployed on their projects while understanding the scale and scope of their impact. As such, providing ways to fully understand the types of innovations and, potentially, their impact can help in guiding their implementation. The objective of the research presented in this paper was to develop a classification system for innovation in construction and to identify the characteristics of its different facets. Departing from the more traditional hierarchical view of innovation classification, a flatter, multi-facetted approach to classification is proposed. This approach is believed to be more representative of the multiple perspectives adopted in the literature to report these characteristics. The choice of class was dictated by its ease of application to industry and the complementary nature of the different facets. The classification of innovations focuses on 5 dimensions adapted from the literature review and chosen based on their applicability, which was tested through a survey. The classified objects can correspond to several facets and elements thanks to the faceted structure, making the classification more modular and expandable.