Title: Changing institutional practices in the Dutch construction industry

Authors: Alfons Van Marrewijk; Marcel B. Veenswijk

Addresses: Department of Organizational Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands ' Department of Organizational Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Abstract: A parliamentary enquiry in 2002 forced Dutch construction firms to end collusive practices and build an innovative construction industry. Intervention programmes were started in the period of 2004-2012 to implement new cultural values. This paper explores which cultural interventions have been employed to stimulate innovation in the construction sector and how did they worked out in two megaprojects. The study exposes the shortcomings of the hyperculture approach to change in the construction industry as social mechanisms easily result in the replication of social structure and power relations. To prevent failure, intentions for change need to include cultural patterns at action and interaction level. In the studied cases, these levels were addresses addressed in which both commissioners and contractors discuss practices of tendering and collaboration. The findings in this study are based upon a longitudinal study of and presence in the cultural intervention programmes in the Dutch construction industry from 2006 to 2012 and the ethnographic study of the urban train and the renewal sluices megaprojects.

Keywords: The Netherlands; Dutch construction industry; cultural change; cultural intervention; narrative; innovation; institutional practices; cultural values; hyperculture; social mechanisms; social structure; power relations; cultural patterns; tendering; collaboration; ethnography; urban trains; renewal sluices; megaprojects.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPOM.2016.075783

International Journal of Project Organisation and Management, 2016 Vol.8 No.1, pp.44 - 62

Received: 16 Jan 2013
Accepted: 27 Nov 2013
Published online: 05 Apr 2016 *

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