Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to explore some of the factors that influence innovation in construction professional services firms. The paper examines the role of middle managers who have responsibility for developing the right conditions that foster innovation at the business unit level. Design/methodology/approach -A theoretical framework was initially developed through a synthesis of the literature. Using a case study approach, three types of innovation were explored to illustrate the role and influence of middle managers in fostering and exploiting innovations. Findings -Findings from the study suggested that middle managers' innovation supporting behaviours influence innovation outcomes by helping development of a climate for innovation that influence championing behaviours among project managers.Research limitations/implications -The study was based on a single United Kingdom-based construction professional services firm. Nevertheless, the research contributes to the call for more qualitative approaches to understanding leadership research in construction. Originality/value -Limited research has been undertaken on the impact of leadership on construction innovation beyond senior managers. This paper seeks to contribute to addressing this gap in literature by highlighting the significant role that the middle managers play in enabling innovation in construction professional services firms contrary to well-publicised negative views on the middle managerial roles.
The realization of construction projects brings together a diversity of individuals and organizations, variously forged into groups and teams, in which power is important in shaping leader/follower behaviour. Quantity surveyors, being primarily project cost consultants and procurement/contractual advisers, are employed both by the clients' and the contractors' organizations. This paper investigates aspects of leadership style and power within quantity surveying in both clients' and contractors' project 'teams'. The empirical work employed two questionnaires, developed from established instruments and completed by samples of team leaders and team members. Some differences emerged between quantity surveyors working for consultants' organizations (acting on behalf of the client) and those working for contractors' organizations. The results confirm the relationship orientation of clients' consultant quantity surveyors, who tend to adopt the supportive style of leadership. The directive style of leadership showed negative impact. Power distance was found to exceed that measured previously for Hong Kong and expert power was the most important power source.Culture, leadership, power, quantity surveying,
Performance of corporations, under the stakeholder approach, is not measured in financial terms only; modern corporations have significant responsibilities beyond those to their shareholders. A value-laden concept such as sustainable construction, which emerges from a multi-stakeholder perspective, involves participation of the whole supply chain and incorporates the notion of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Creating sustainable habitats has societal as well as economic implications. While the UK government's Department of Trade and Industry is promoting CSR as a business contribution to sustainable development, many have argued that corporate citizenship takes shape at the point of government failure in the facilitation of citizen's rights. Recent research demonstrates varying degrees of corporate social performance (CSP) in different sectors and there are differing relationships between CSP and innovation in the real estate and construction sectors. A conceptual model linking corporate citizenship values (CCV) and CSP through corporate behaviour (BCORP) from a CSR and stakeholder theory perspective is developed. The proposed model presents avenues for future research and represents a significant first step towards modelling the important link between CCV and CSP.Corporate social performance, corporate social responsibility, stakeholder theory,
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