When We Develop Collaboration, What Exactly Do We Develop?

Abstract

In this paper we will expand further on the literature focusing on collaborations within the construction industry. In the articles that are concerned with collaborative efforts, the authors present definitions. Often a common denominator is that collaboration is carried out by two or more parties to reach a goal. Little operationalization is offered in terms of understanding collaboration contextually. What are we actually talking about when we are concerned with collaboration, and in particular how to develop collaboration between actors in the construction industry?This paper aims to discuss the term collaboration from the collective viewpoints of actors at a construction site, who consist of skilled workers and apprentices, supervisors, foremen and site management. The basis for this discussion is a previous review of collaboration in the literature, as well as previous research undertaken by the (first) author, which operationalizes collaboration in terms of six underlying dimensions.The argument posed in this paper is that if correct measures were to be identified and taken to improve and develop constructive collaborative relationships between interorganizational actors on the construction site, we would need to address the term collaboration in greater depth. Rather than operating with an overarching and insufficient definition of "collaboration", we need to operationalize and sufficiently understand how actors themselves understand collaboration within a specific context.