Long-Term Innovation Diffusion in the Building Construction Industry: Empirically-Based Theory Building
ISBN
978-1-935056-01-0
Type
conference paper
Date Issued
2008-07-22
Author(s)
Abstract
The paper focuses on diffusion of energy-efficient innovations. A theory is developed that integrates relevant variables and mechanisms to describe and explain innovation diffusion in the building construction industry - an exemplary case of a large fragmented, socio-technical system with long-term transition characteristics. A considerable amount of litera-ture has been published about innovation diffusion. However, only little attention has been devoted to integrate relevant knowledge from different disciplines to explain the complex phenomenon of innovation diffusion in such systems. This study draws on accepted theo-ries as one source of information; others are existing empirical research, expert interviews, and workshop results. The latter two are based on a case study to obtain insights from a regional industry cluster. We use the grounded theory approach for data collection, analy-sis and qualitative modeling. Results are validated hypotheses about concepts and mecha-nisms that explain the diffusion phenomenon. The first contribution of the paper is the description and explanation of innovation diffusion in a system with a slow transition pro-pensity. It highlights the role of innovators and learning innovators in a consistent dy-namic theory. Second, the model provides insights about short-term and long-term dynam-ics which together can explain the transition of the building construction system. In par-ticular, the relevance of legal standards and its dynamic interplay with voluntary standard setting for a successful transformation of the system is shown. An important leverage is the target of the environmental policy which leads to positive reactions of agents in the construction system. A third insight is the increase in the time length of the innovation cycles the more the standard is intensified. And fourth, the paper is a successful exemplar for a system analysis and description adhering to qualitative system dynamics. It provides first deliberations for a grounded theory about the innovation diffusion in the building system. Further research will lay out the methodological concept in more detail.
Language
English
Keywords
Innovation diffusion
theory-building
building construction system
model con-ceptualization
qualitative system dynamics
grounded theory
HSG Classification
contribution to scientific community
Refereed
Yes
Publisher
System Dynamics Society
Publisher place
Albany, U.S.A
Start page
10
Event Title
26th International Conference of the System Dynamics Society
Event Location
Athens
Event Date
20.-24.07.2008
Subject(s)
Division(s)
Eprints ID
45433