Inter-organizational collaboration in the field of construction: the perspective of an engineering consultancy

In this work in progress we consider the challenges of inter-organizational collaboration in building projects to support higher quality and lower prices. The framework of Carlile (2004) is used to identify and categorize the current situation and needs of different knowledge processes: transfer, translation and transforming. We discuss recent and ongoing initiatives at various levels within the building industry (government, industry, company). The initiatives are discussed from the viewpoint of an engineering consultancy company. The study reveals that a more integrated process across partners in the building industry provides improved quality. However, new needs arise and development of new knowledge processes is required to exchange, understand and negotiate the knowledge needed in closer collaboration. Development of these knowledge processes is complicated and there is a need for both industry-wide and more local steps to initiate it. Not at least due to fact that the internal management of knowledge in the organizations involved is confronted.