Construction Companies and How They Acquire Knowledge through Business Interaction

Abstract

By combining the two phenomena ‘knowledge’ and ‘interaction’, in terms of how they can vary in both intensity and content, this article attempts to deepen the understanding of the relationship between different types of interaction and learning, and, more specifically, how it appears within the construction industry. As an industry, construction displays some specific features in relation to interactional patterns that seem to hinder the establishment of more extensive long-term interactions. Through distinguishing between different types of interactions we discuss potential learning opportunities. The theoretical discussion is exemplified with empirical material from the construction industry that we glean from both earlier studies and from an ongoing investigation of Swedish construction firms. Our results indicate that there are different degrees of knowledge being transferred in the construction network, and that there are examples of close interaction where joint learning takes place. However, the organisational conditions characterising the construction industry seem to provide little incentive to invest in long-term relationships, thus affecting what can be learned from others. This research project has been financial supported by the Swedish Construction Federation and The Jan Wallander and Tom Hedelius Foundation.