This paper discusses knowledge sharing through scenario development as applied in the interdisciplinary and international research project uVITAL. It focused on user-oriented upgrading of the social housing stock. The aim was to gain deeper insights into the specificities and commonalities of the four country case studies involved. Two online workshops, which included various steps for scenario development, were particularly important during the COVID-19 pandemic when face-to-face exchanges were not possible. A Miro whiteboard was very useful as a technical communication and collaboration tool. This paper outlines the benefits and challenges of scenario development to facilitate communication and collaboration between researchers from different disciplines and national and cultural backgrounds, particularly in online and hybrid settings. The well-structured process of scenario development was an important step in the project, moving from passive to active knowledge sharing. This included issues of content, geographical and cultural diversity and methodological openness.@en

Upgrading existing social housing (SH) requires user-centred participatory processes to promote values. Comparative case studies in Brazil, Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK are presented. Living Labs (LLs) were conducted for the delivery of user values and to promote an informed decision-making process. Tools and LL activities were tested to engage stakeholders in the upgrading process, support the co-creation of solutions and address social and societal challenges. The main research aims were to facilitate SH upgrading processes focusing on the delivery of value for users, achieving end-user empowerment, as well as assessing participatory decision-making through LLs. Research goals were achieved in each case study setting. The evaluation of specific cases informed a conceptual framework and guidelines to facilitate upgrading through LLs in varied SH landscapes.@en

In Nederland worden te weinig woningen geproduceerd om aan de vraag te voldoen. Conceptuele woningbouw biedt voor een deel van de opgave de kans om de productie te verhogen en te versnellen. In de markt is een grote variëteit van conceptaanbieders aanwezig. Conceptuele woningen worden in veel verschillende verschijningsvormen aangeboden en ook de aanbieders van deze woningen tonen onderling verschillen. Uit dit onderzoek blijkt dat opdrachtgevers het lastig vinden om onderscheid te maken tussen de verschillende aanbieders. Daarnaast geven conceptaanbieders aan dat ze als producent gezien willen worden en niet als aannemer. Het doel van dit onderzoek was de ontwikkeling van een hulpmiddel waarmee voor afnemers relevante eigenschappen van verschillende woningconcepten in kaart kunnen worden gebracht. De hoofdvraag van dit onderzoek is: Hoe onderscheiden de in Nederland beschikbare woningconcepten zich op voor opdrachtgevers relevante eigenschappen? Met dit onderzoek hebben we eigenschappen geïdentificeerd op basis waarvan opdrachtgevers op een eenvoudige wijze potentiële aanbieders en concepten kunnen selecteren. De eigenschappen zullen worden opgenomen in de Conceptenboulevard.nl van het Netwerk Conceptueel Bouwen (NCB), een online platform, waarop woningconcepten met elkaar kunnen worden vergeleken. Met dit onderzoek trachten we de woningbouw opgave te versnellen doordat opdrachtgevers makkelijker een preselectie kunnen maken van partijen die geschikt zijn voor een bepaalde opgave.@en

In de bouw staan we voor een groot aantal uitdagingen die hun weerslag hebben op hoe we bouwprojecten organiseren. Klimaatverandering vraagt om innovatieve en duurzame oplossingen. Er worden meer projecten in dicht bevolkte gebieden gerealiseerd hetgeen ons voor logistieke uitdagingen stelt. Mensen en materialen zijn schaars terwijl de productie moet sterk worden verhoogd om aan de vraag te voldoen. Dit alles leidt ertoe dat in de bouw efficiënter gewerkt moet worden en dat tijdens een project vaker op zoek moet worden gegaan naar alternatieve oplossingen.@en

The aim of this PhD project was to explore the multi-level interplay between the inter-organizational structures and interpersonal relations in building project organizations. In the first two studies, quantitative approaches were used to validate assumptions about how inter-organizational structures are shaped by actors and how interpersonal relationships affect the effectiveness of project teams in the construction industry. These two studies were integrated in a third qualitative case study that explored the interplay between inter-organizational structures and interpersonal relationships in long-term partnerships. The third study sampled three cases of strategic partnerships which are characterized as long-term, highly integrated and collaborative relationships. To gain theoretical sensitivity in this third study, a conceptual framework was developed using the concepts from the first two studies. The major finding across the three studies is that the way integration in the supply chain develops is highly dependent on the interaction between project actors. The way actors use the inter-organizational rules of a project organization, influences the level of trust and no-blame culture that emerges through interaction. In turn, the level of trust can influence the rules of actors. More specifically, dominant actors seem to able to change the rules of the system. When a dominant actor uses his power position to change the rules of the social system, it can make other actors lose their commitment to the partnership. This research shows that successful long-term and close collaboration between firms continuously requires careful consideration of how the organizational structures are designed and used and their effect on relationships between actors. One should not assume that integrated contracts and integrative practices that have been shown to work in one project, will automatically lead to close and long-lasting relationships between actors in another project. @en

This study investigates the motives of clients, contractors and subcontractors and underlying conditions favoring strategic partnering formation in the Dutch retrofit market. In-depth interviews were conducted with six clients, six contractors, and two subcontractors concerning four cases in the Netherlands. To identify motives, the data from the 14 interviews were coded with Atlas TI based on a theoretical framework. The thematic analysis revealed the main motives. The main finding of this study was that clients and contractors form strategic partnerships for different reasons: clients unite to exploit the knowledge and capabilities of their supplying partners, while contractors and subcontractors unite to improve their market position. Both motives may be exchanged when clients offer contractors and subcontractors a long-term perspective. This finding shows managers in the construction industry that, to maintain a strategic partnership, it is important to understand and discuss the motives of each partner and how they can be exchanged.@en

Purpose – To explore how and why the social structures of strategic partnerships are shaped by actors and how these interrelate with a team’s interpersonal relationships over time. Grasping the complexity of this interplay is essential if we want to comprehend what actually goes on in these partnerships and understand why actors often disengage from them.
Design/methodology/approach – In three cases, 14 in-depth interviews were held with knowledgeable actors about important events and activities that influenced the relationships between partners. Interview data were triangulated with journals kept by the lead author, who participated as an engaged scholar in the three cases. Because this study took an interdisciplinary approach, new insights could evolve from the multi-level analysis.
Findings – Trust has a moderating effect on the relation between open-book accounting and the degree of control a dominant party wants to exercise. When the level of control is raised, this can signal distrust to the other partners, which can harm the relationship. When partners feel more dependent on each other’s
capabilities to reach their long-term goals, the parties seem to be less likely to put the blame on one of the partners in the case of undesirable events.
Practical implications – Managers should be aware of their power position and acknowledge the effects of power on their relationships. If long-term and close collaboration does not emerge in their partnership, it may be due to how they use their power position.
Originality/value – Thanks to the interdisciplinary approach, this is the first study that shows the significance of trust and power in maintaining strategic partnerships in the construction industry, and how trust can affect the financial rules of actors.
Keywords Strategic partnering, Structuration theory, Power relations, Trust, Construction industry
@en

This study investigates how a no-blame culture affects the effectiveness of project-based design teams across different project delivery methods in the construction industry. Ninety-two team members of 34 project-based design teams assessed the no-blame culture, level of teamwork, and team effectiveness in teams that were procured through different routes. A multilevel analysis shows that the relation between integrated project delivery methods, such as design–build and strategic partnering, and team effectiveness varies across levels of no-blame culture. A mediated regression analysis found that the effect of no-blame culture on team effectiveness is mediated by teamwork. Managers of project-based design teams in the construction industry should, therefore, invest both time and effort in creating a no-blame culture and the level of teamwork in parallel. This will enhance the level of team effectiveness in integrated project delivery methods.@en

A no-blame culture is often promoted as an important driver for teamwork which in turn would lead to higher project team effectiveness in construction industry projects. The research on these relations, however, is scarce in the construction industry and mainly based on case studies. Therefore, this study investigates whether a no-blame culture in project-based design teams that work on construction projects leads to higher team effectiveness through teamwork. 92 team members of 34 project-based design teams assessed the no-blame culture, level of teamwork, and team effectiveness in teams that were procured through different procurement routes. Data were collected via online surveys from a sample of construction practitioners, such as project managers, engineers, and architects. Using mediated regression analysis of mean scores, the findings show that teamwork fully mediates the relation between no blame culture and team effectiveness. The findings demonstrate that a no blame climate significantly affects the level of teamwork and in turn team effectiveness. Managers of project-based design teams in the construction industry should, therefore, spend time and effort in creating a safe environment in which team members can share their thoughts about, for instance, the design or project related problems with other team members without being scared of the consequences on an interpersonal level. @en

his study investigates whether integrative and collaborative practices of the construction industry can be exclusively attributed to integrated project-delivery methods or whether traditional project-delivery methods also foster integration within project-based design teams. Project managers assessed team collaboration and the integration of teams into 46 construction industry projects in The Netherlands. Explanatory factor analysis (EFA) was used to identify the components that explained collaboration and integration within project design teams. Using analysis of variance of factor scores, the main finding of the study was that, in the construction industry, collaboration is an independent component in integrative and collaborative practices that can be reliably assessed in research. Furthermore, this study provides evidence suggesting that both traditional and integrated project-delivery methods might lead to collaboration over time. The third finding is that different project-delivery methods were not significantly different in terms of the dimensions of integration and collaboration, except in the component of inclusive decision making within the building team and for strategic partnering. The findings suggest that relying on the type of project-delivery method is not sufficient for managers communicating about the level of supply chain integration and collaboration.@en