Enabling innovation through systems thinking: insights from operational simulation in the construction industry

Mohammed Abdelmegid, Mani Poshdar, Vicente Gonzalez, Michael O’Sullivan and Cameron Walker

Chapter 5 in Research Companion to Innovation in Construction, 2025, pp 94-114 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: This chapter highlights the key role of systems thinking in enabling innovation in the construction industry. Centred around the application of a systems thinking approach to support decision-making, it demonstrates how integrating systems thinking into management practices promotes transparency, collaboration, and creative problem-solving among stakeholders. Three case studies are presented to illustrate a holistic framework that facilitates the collective conceptualisation of construction systems by stakeholders from different backgrounds and disciplines to ensure mutual understanding and exploration of unconventional solutions. Simulation modelling provided an objective means to test creative ideas and solicit constructive feedback, demonstrating how systems thinking enables players in the construction industry to capitalise on innovation to address the complex and dynamic nature of construction projects. Based on lessons from the case studies, our key recommendations span the integration of technical and organisational innovation, the encouragement of interdisciplinary cooperation, and incorporating systems thinking into engineering curricula.

Keywords: Systems Thinking; Computer Simulation; Conceptual Modelling; Creative Problem Solving; Stakeholder Collaboration; Decision Support (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
ISBN: 9781035326587
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