Abstract for:To innovate or not to innovate: A Russian case of the construction industry

Abstract. There are several primary factors that influence or force decision-makers at construction companies to acknowledge innovation implementation as a priority process to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the industry. First of all, there is a need to create an environment where innovative organisations have a successful access to innovative technologies and are able to maintain high-tech business. In other words, innovations have to be attractive. To improve construction innovation performance and overcome the excessive conservatism, the study attempts to define what policy recommendations and various innovation planning strategies the Russian government, industry and universities should implement to achieve robust development of the construction industry over time. The problem of poor innovation performance in construction should be seen in light of the industry complexity and the inherent dynamics of the construction innovation diffusion. A holistic modelling procedure was applied to investigate the problem of the low level of innovative activity in the construction industry from a system of innovation perspective. The chosen research approach aims to support the understanding of the multi-dimensional construction innovation process by actively involving stakeholders.

Keywords: construction innovation diffusion, innovation system, stakeholder engagement, participatory modelling, attractiveness of being innovative.