Factors Inhibiting Higher Education Institutions from addressing Industry driven change in Irish Construction Management Programs

Abstract

ABSTRACT With Construction Management being a relatively new discipline, the relationship between academia and industry is underdeveloped. Studies have identified the gap between academia and industry, with recommendations made as to how this gap may be closed. However, little research is done into what is restricting Higher Education Institutions from acting on these findings. The aim of this paper is to address this. Five key themes emerge in the literature: Human, Resources, Organizational Structure, External Influences, and Administrative Factors. To complement this, semi-structured interviews are undertaken with 12 Construction Management representatives from each of the 11 Higher Education Institutions offering a Construction Management program in the Republic of Ireland. Using the five themes that emerged in the literature, each of the interviews is thematically coded. The results indicate key factors inhibiting the change implementation processes within construction management departments. These include difficulties in the number of boards and committees involved in change, a lack of incentive for lecturing staff undertaking what is considered additional work, disparity in the definition of a “successful program” within the Higher Education Institutions, extensive amounts of reports required for change proposal, lecturing staff being largely overworked, and organizational structures that do not facilitate collaboration between departments.