Collaboration and innovation beyond project boundaries: exploring the potential of an ecosystem perspective in the infrastructure sector

Lynn Vosman, Tom B. J. Coenen, Leentje Volker and Klaasjan Visscher

Construction Management and Economics, 2023, vol. 41, issue 6, 457-474

Abstract: Current societal challenges demand enduring engagement and the implementation of innovations. Unfortunately, the project-based nature of the construction industry fails to offer suitable conditions for innovation and change in terms of building long-term relationships and aligning incentives beyond the project scope. In this paper, we explore the potential of an innovation ecosystem perspective to reach sector-wide goals related to societal challenges in the infrastructure sector. Accordingly, five Dutch infrastructure cases were studied in terms of four characteristics: (1) actor heterogeneity; (2) strategic alignment of actors; (3) alignment with respect to a value proposition; and (4) governance structure. We found that the innovation ecosystem perspective has the potential to contribute to innovation in the sector, especially when specific innovations or knowledge building are pursued. In particular, the long-term perspective to collaboration in relation to addressing societal challenges and the shift to more relational ways of governance were found promising avenues for incorporation in the industry. The innovation ecosystem perspective in infrastructure, however, also poses substantial organizational, cultural, and processual challenges, such as adopting novel practices with respect to collaboration and establishing continuing informal relationships beyond the public procurement context.

Date: 2023
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/01446193.2023.2165695 (text/html)
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:taf:conmgt:v:41:y:2023:i:6:p:457-474

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.tandfonline.com/pricing/journal/RCME20

DOI: 10.1080/01446193.2023.2165695

Access Statistics for this article

Construction Management and Economics is currently edited by Will Hughes

More articles in Construction Management and Economics from Taylor & Francis Journals
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Chris Longhurst ().