ABSTRACT
This chapter explores two aspects of the dissemination and successful take-up of innovations - work cultures and skills. The occupational cultures might be expected to be more significant issues in construction innovation than in other industries such as manufacturing where workers' tasks are assigned directly by managers. Skills and competencies are clearly related to routine practices of organizations and occupations. Skills and competencies tie questions of habitus to productivity and to the challenges which come with change and innovation. Comparing across both high technology and construction and engineering in 7 OECD countries, as the pool of skills increased, demand for skilled labour similarly increased. The relationship between innovation and skilled labour has been shown to be more complex than the stereotyped view that innovation always threatens the interests of workers. An appeal to the masculine stereotype of most trades only reinforces skills shortages by reproducing the gendered habitus of the construction and civil engineering.
