Simulating the implementation of technological innovations in construction

Introducing new technologies or innovative processes can enhance construction efficiency and enable organisations to achieve objectives of lowering costs, continuous improvement and competitive advantage. New ideas have to show significant benefits before they are accepted. Despite of the differences between the construction and manufacturing industries, opportunities are still available to leam from manufacturing approaches to innovation. A fundamental challenge facing construction innovation is the way that construction organisations plan and control the implementation of innovation where many projects do not fulfil their time and cost objectives. Management should not only improve techniques for planning and scheduling but also allow managers to assess and simulate the anticipated performance resulting from innovation .. According to this assessment, managers would be more able and perhaps more ready to accept new processes/products or iterate the implementation process until a satisfactory level of performance has been achieved. Intangible benefits offered by advanced construction technologies are hard to quantify using traditional economic analysis techniques. This could result in the rejection of a potentially profitable idea. Benefits to be gained from improvements in operational efficiency are measured by cost and time-savings and increasing productivity. These benefits, in addition to intangible benefits, need to be measured and quantified. Simulating the implementation process of innovation has not been addressed, although many models have been developed to describe the innovation process in construction which considered implementation as a sequential process incorporating iterations. [Continues.]