Title: Green construction and team design. Low road and high road teams to build energy-friendly houses

Authors: Monique Ramioul; Jos Benders; Jan Van Peteghem

Addresses: Research Institute for Work and Society – HIVA, KU Leuven, Parkstraat 47, 3000 Leuven, Belgium ' Centre for Sociological Research, KU Leuven, Parkstraat 45, 3000 Leuven, Belgium ' Research Institute for Work and Society – HIVA, KU Leuven, Parkstraat 47, 3000 Leuven, Belgium

Abstract: Two case studies were conducted to investigate how construction companies, focusing on the growing market of energy-friendly houses, design teamwork. The first company opts for a low-road type with high levels of control and standardisation as well as a focus on an operation-based production flow. The strategy of the second company, in contrast, can be characterised as a high-road type: it is an employee-centred organisation model based on participation, empowered teamwork and investments in skills of the workers. The effects on the job quality of the construction workers in both companies are substantially different.

Keywords: green construction; energy-efficient construction; high-road teamwork; low-road teamwork; job quality; team design; team management; energy-friendly houses; case studies; construction industry; energy efficiency; green housing; management control; standardisation; operation-based production flow; employee-centred organisations; employee empowerment; skills investment.

DOI: 10.1504/WREMSD.2016.073421

World Review of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable Development, 2016 Vol.12 No.1, pp.33 - 49

Received: 29 Aug 2014
Accepted: 10 May 2015
Published online: 02 Dec 2015 *

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