The prevalent theory of construction is a hindrance for innovation

It is argued that construction innovation is significantly hindered by the prevalent theory of
construction, which is implicit and deficient. There are three main mechanisms through which
this hindrance is being caused.
Firstly, because production theories in general, as well as construction theories
specifically, have been implicit, it has not been possible to transfer such radical managerial
innovation as mass production or lean production from manufacturing to construction. Direct
application of these production templates in construction has been limited due to different
context in construction in correspondence to manufacturing. On the other hand, without
explicit theories, it has not been possible to access core ideas of concepts and methods of
these templates, and to recreate them in construction environment. In consequence, theory and
practice of construction has not progressed as in manufacturing.
Secondly, it is argued that the underlying, even if implicit, theoretical model of
construction is the transformation model of production. There are two first principles in the
transformation model. First, the total transformation can be achieved only by realising all
parts of it. Thus, we decompose the total transformation into parts, finally into tasks, ensure
that all inputs are available and assign these tasks to operatives or workstations. Second,
minimising the cost of each task, i.e. each decomposed transformation, minimises the cost of
production. It is argued that these principles, in which uncertainty and time are abstracted
away, are counterproductive, and lead to myopic control and inflated variability. Practical
examples show that these deficiencies and related practical constraints hinder the top-down
implementation of innovations.
Thirdly, empirical research shows that also bottom-up innovation - systematic learning
and problem solving - is hindered by this deficient theory. Thus, the advancement of
construction innovation requires that a new, explicit and valid theory of construction is
created, and business models and control methods based on it are developed