ABSTRACT

Innovation in construction is in many ways a well rehearsed area and the subject of hundreds if not thousands of conference and journal papers, books and reports. Since the first meeting in Oslo, European Network for Research on Innovation in Construction has grown to include over 50 researchers and has been hosted by ten different universities in eight different countries. But more importantly, it has established an interdisciplinary critical mass of activity examining the ways that different parts of an international construction sector connect and interact and the implications of these connections on innovation. Research on innovation in construction is equally extensive and heterogeneous. It is certainly the case that the topic remains contentious and contested and continues to attract interest. There is a significant body of work that identify various barriers to and challenges of innovation. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.