Evaluation of innovation-based approaches in the Turkish design and construction sector

Novel design and manufacturing technologies along with the environmental performance needs, 21th century social, economic, political changes and emerging consumption trends drastically transforms the design and construction processes in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC). Technologies and methods widely adopted by automobile and aerospace industry like mass customization, off-site manufacturing, parametric design and manufacturing simulations rapidly penetrating into design and construction. These translates into knowledge-based approaches such as Building Information Modeling (BIM), Integrated Project Delivery (IPD), off-site manufacturing methods (OSM) and mass customization (MC) in the architecture, engineering and construction industry which base on similar ideas and promises in order to increase the overall quality and the scope of processes and products. The buildings and design artifacts derived from these technologies and innovative methods have distinct features in terms of design-construction processes, form, tectonics, materiality and sustainable life-cycle performance. The governmental and private institutions in US and Europe started to demand these methods and technologies for better efficiency and efficacy in construction projects as contractual obligations. All these transformations redefine the design and construction process and its priorities with the aforementioned paradigms. Interdisciplinary integration, complex design and engineering processes, total building performance and economic and social dimensions of design can be listed as the components of innovation in the architecture, engineering and construction industry which defines the conceptual framework for this thesis study. Being the world's 3rd largest construction and contracting industry with an annual operation volume of approximately $20 billion, the Turkish Architecture, Engineering and Construction Sector operates globally including large scale projects in Turkey, Russia, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Gulf Region and North Africa (ENR, 2013). In recent years, the interest for novel design and construction processes is growing within the Turkish Architecture, Engineering and Construction Firms in order to maintain the strong presence and competitiveness in the global markets, while construction volume is rapidly expanding within Turkey. However there are no significant studies focusing on the levels of technology adoption, business transformation for innovative business models and their potential benefits in the context of Turkish Architecture, Engineering and Construction Sector as well as the illustration of current status of aforementioned technologies, approaches and methods for innovative practice. Based on these premises, current business culture, construction methods, technological capabilities, political and economic conditions also natural and environmental effects sets the stage for technology-centric transformations in the Turkish Architecture, Engineering and Construction Sector. Comprehensive evaluation of these new developments and in-depth investigation of transforming design and construction firms possess added-value and critical knowledge potentials in design and construction practice. This thesis study lies on the influence of technology-centric business transformations in the Turkish Architecture, Engineering and Construction Sector and provide an in-depth understanding focusing on such dimensions and drivers like new business strategies, methods, representation, communication, information exchange and interdisciplinary coordination. The study stresses the importance of current trends and practices in the industry under these significant influences. From the methodological perspective, the study employs qualitative framework using in-depth interviewing techniques with carefully selected representatives from the industry. These interviews include highly experienced architects, engineers, executive managers and production directors currently in the practice. Through a detailed content analysis of the conducted interviews, the study aims to illustrate current experiences and perceptions of technology-centric business transformation in the Turkish design and construction industry. Such results and arguments based on the detailed content analyses of conducted interviews provides current trends and perceptions towards highly related technologies and approaches like BIM, off-site manufacturing methods, and mass customization in the practice. Study also illustrate such problems, obstacles and challenges of organizational and technological changes currently occurring in specific tasks and processes. In summary there exists significant differences in terms of adoption trends, problems, obstacles, technological perceptions and potential benefits besides some common issues compared to the US and European counterparts. Considering widely accepted uncertainty levels in project processes in the local business culture, Turkish Architecture, Engineering and Construction firms tend to control a state of flux for business viability and competitive advantage, which necessitates novel adoption approaches for technology-centric methods in this specific business domain. The influence of existing business models, work culture, project cycles, and internal characteristics drastically affect perceptions towards the value propositions of BIM, OSM and IPD which are broadly known among the Turkish Architecture, Engineering and Construction firms such as automated documentation and coordination, use of construction and environmental simulations, construction cost control in value engineering and other operational benefits. Such examples exist especially from the last five years which are either constructed or under construction. Findings of the study also suggest the existence of different social subgroups for BIM use and Architecture, Engineering and Construction integration according to their expertise areas, projects types and operation scales. There are also other topics like direct and indirect costs organizational change, training, absence of qualified workforce, previous failed experiments and projects, risk perceptions due to very strict project schedules, lack of technological capability across the industry stakeholders especially in the sub-contractor domain. From the designer perspective problems of flexibility and need for design related data even in the early phases of the process emerges as well-known issues of knowledge-based processes in project life-cycle. The results from the study assert the importance of knowledge based capabilities and need for re-engineered business models based on technology and innovation rather than conventional deployment of aforementioned technologies as tools and supporting methods of existing practices. This can be noted as the most crucial finding from the research study and it aligns with the arguments exist in the literature. The findings also suggests the existence of several strategic domains for technology-focused transformation such as firm scales, firm cultures, knowledge-enabled workforce, technological infrastructure, project types and scopes. The crucial point derived from the research study is the importance of specifically tailored adoption strategies for firms for effective organizational transformation. Education also emerges as a significant issue in order to change the perception and the utilization of innovative technology and methods, starting from the entry-level designers and engineers to mid-level professionals and top level executive administrators. The current curriculum in architecture and engineering schools in Turkey can be argued as preparing students for conventional practice with the lack of providing students the holistic view of innovative technology as the main facilitator of 21st century business environments. Besides this common thread especially in Turkish institutions there are several graduate level programs including specific courses for BIM, OSM and related technologies which are mainly concentrated on research&development and academic&educational activities. The study invites new discussions about the adoption of innovative technology and methods from the perspective of the Turkish design and construction industry, also provide well-reasoned arguments about the potential impacts of pervasive use of BIM, OSM and mass-customization on the global design and construction projects which are undertaken by the Turkish Architecture, Engineering and Construction Firms.