AEC industry culture: a need for change

Future development in determining new and improved ways for Architectural, Engineering, and Contractor (AEC) industry participants to do business through information and communication technology (ICT) tools and systems is dependent on the innovation of the user, not only the technology itself – i.e. the successful implementation of ICT requires careful consideration to the ‘human touch’. The success of technological developments, in terms of uptake and usage, can be improved if the conditions of innovation diffusion within project organisations, parent organisations, and the broader AEC industry are better understood and brought into play. This includes the matching of technological innovation with the perceived needs and preparedness for change on the part of the industry. Supporting the aims and objectives of a two year industry and government supported research project, and as a major deliverable, this paper provides a brief literature background on one of its recently completed investigations into the unique and ‘deeply embedded’ culture of today’s AEC industry in an attempt to better understand its inherent resistance to change. This investigation is not intended as a comprehensive statement of the AEC industry’s need or ability to change its existing culture. Rather, it provides an overall snapshot and supposition of how today’s AEC industry can benefit from both a cultural and technological driven change.