What tensions obstruct an alignment between project and environmental management practices?

Abstract

Purpose-Using an activity theory lens, the interrelationships between project practice and environmental management is examined. The focus is on tensions that occur between human agents and material objects within a motive-directed, historically situated activity system, namely that of managing environmental issues in projects. Design/methodology/approach-Case studies of two large infrastructure projects were conducted 2003-2004 and 2008. The studies comprised on-site observations, text analyses, 20 semi-structured interviews and one group interview. Time was spent on the construction site to become familiarised with the context and the practices of the project community. Fifteen weekly environmental site inspections were monitored and photo-documented. Findings-The findings show how new and emergent environmental management practices and routines were inherently contradictory to the situated and established culture within the projects. In fact project practices seemed to amplify the contradictions between environmental management and project management rather than mitigating them. As a result project members and organisation members strove toward different goals and foci. It is argued that management needs to create arenas where members from the two units can align practices and merge routines. Practical implications-Aligning the permanent structures of the organisation with the temporary organising of practices and operational activities in projects is a challenge for the construction industry. A prevalent lack of fit between the organisation and its projects causes contradictions which negatively affect the way in which long-term environmental strategies and goals are understood and implemented in the project settings. Originality/value-The system theoretical lens adopted in this study enables a holistic interpretation of complex and dynamic activities and the linking of the micro, the individual, to the macro, the organisational structure. By indicating some inherent and emergent contradictions between project practice and corporate environmental management, this paper contributes to an emergent field of research that focus on social practice in construction.

Conceptualizing environmental expertise through the lens of institutional work

“…Different time-perspectives and communication cultures hinder for instance the meaning-making process of why longterm strategies and practice is important (Gluch and Räisänen, 2009). In addition, EMS standards are still not fully fitted to the varying, local dynamic contexts of the projects, which results in resistance from project members to fully adapt, use or apply the established system in their day-to-day work (Isaksson et al, 2009;Gluch and Räisänen, 2012;Zutshi and Creed, 2015). An unequal relationship between organizing the project and organizing long-term concerns also gives rise to a mismatch between practices and between professions (Bresnen et al, 2005).…”

“…However, in paradox to the increased number of environmental professionals in the construction industry, the role, expertise and identity of these actors is often not clear, due to different organizational interests and contradictory institutional logics. The AEC industry still searches for ways how to align corporate organizational structures and long-term strategies with temporary organizations and operational activities carried out therein (Hwang and Tan, 2010; Teriö and Kähkö nen, Gluch and Räisänen, 2012). There are often contradictory practices between the long-term view of sustainability and the production-focused and timepressed agenda of construction projects (Labuschagne and Brent, 2005;Zutshi and Creed, 2015).…”

Reviewing the Role of Sustainability Professionals in Construction

“…Two references (Gluch andBosch-Sijtsema, 2016, Gluch andRäisänen, 2012) were found extra relevant because of their focus on environmental professionals and roles and, thus, used for further reviewing of references and citations for a more exhaustive search. This added 28 papers to the list of relevant papers.…”

“…Increasing demand on sustainability has led to the emergence of sustainability professionals in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry who challenge traditional practices and ways of reasoning within the organisation (Hughes and Hughes, 2013). However, even though sustainability professionals are receiving higher influence, organisational aspects such as unclear roles and different time-perspectives between construction projects and the line organisation complicate the work of sustainability professionals (Gluch, 2009, Gluch andRäisänen, 2012). This, in turn, leads to tensions between different professions such as environmental professionals and other built-environment professionals, e.g.…”

Environmental Management In Project Oriented Companies Within Construction Sector

“…Challenges associated with projectoriented production Construction production manifests itself, on company level, as a decentralized project organisation (Gluch and Raisanen 2012). As such, it has a temporary nature by definition, and therefore requires different planning and management techniques than serial production encountered in manufacturing sectors.…”