Using organizational knowledge for the selection of construction methods

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report and summarize the findings from a doctoral thesis that analyze the construction methods' selection process, from a knowledge management perspective. The first author also reports her PhD journey. Design/methodology/approach – The research methodology is based on the development of case studies in three construction companies. In each case study, semi‐structured interviews, direct observation and review of companies' documentation were applied. The results of the case studies allowed the development of a prototype system for the construction methods' selection. The thesis research methodology is described in detail in this article. Findings – It was concluded that the construction methods' selection process is based in individual knowledge, therefore the construction industry needs to understand how to identify, acquire, store, transfer and use this knowledge. The construction methods knowledge system proposed in this research could help to resolve this problem. Practical implications – A knowledge management system for construction companies must incorporate knowledge management technologies and techniques to be a real solution for the industry problems regarding information and knowledge management. Originality/value – This research expands the analysis of the construction methods' selection process with a deeper analysis of this activity, understanding how it is applied in a project, what knowledge is required to make a good decision and offering a system to manage this knowledge, recognizing the particular characteristics of the process and the industry.