TECHNOLOGICAL PROGRESS IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

A study of three major sectors of the construction industry showed marked differences in the use of new technology. There are several reasons for these differences. One reason is the different priorities which owners have for reducing construction costs. for example, in the commercial sector, the cost of construction has a much greater effect on profitability than it does in the industrial sector where differences in manufacturing processes are much more significant. Another reason is "institutional barriers", such as legal liabilities and government regulations. Construction costs in the utility industry are very adversely affected by institutional barriers. In many situations no single entity in the total construction process has sufficient incentives to develop and apply new technology. Owners, however, are the common element in all phases of the construction process and are the ultimate beneficiaries. They, therefore, need to be the driving force behind R&D efforts and their application. (Author)

• Supplemental Notes:
  • A Construction Industry Cost Effectiveness Project Report.
• Corporate Authors:

  Business Roundtable

  200 Park Avenue
  New York, NY  United States  10166
• Publication Date: 1982-7

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Tables;
• Pagination: 14 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Construction industry; Development; Information dissemination; Research; Technological innovations
• Uncontrolled Terms: Research and development
• Subject Areas: Construction; Data and Information Technology; Highways; Research; I50: Construction and Supervision of Construction;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00391400
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: Report B-2
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Feb 28 1985 12:00AM