The KI procedure is critical to project performance (Nonaka & Takeuchi, 1995), especially in a project-based industry like construction. Several studies have been conducted on KM in construction projects, but only few of them focused on KI between different construction projects (Adenfelt & Maaninen-Olsson, 2007; El-Gohary & El-Diraby, 2010). From the working perspective, KI is defined as the process that leads to a practical solution by contributing the expertise and knowledge of all involved parties. According to Mitchell (2006), KI is the ability to integrate internal and external knowledge to respond to environmental change. In other words, the KI process should enhance the dynamic capacity of organisations in a way to
59 | P a g e prevent environmental changes affecting the project performance. KI in this study is the process of capturing, sharing, and transferring knowledge within a project environment. The importance of KI has attracted discussions in both academia and industry. Having a better understanding of KI between projects and their organisational context is vital, due to the importance of knowledge in organisations and projects (Koskinen et al., 2003). There are three most common characteristics within projects. First, projects are temporarily organisational units which mean they only exist until the original assignments and goals of projects are completed and achieved. Secondly, projects are unit of individuals who are located in different places and sometimes in different organisations. Thirdly, projects may be unique in design, implementation and independent of its organisational context (Adenfelt & Maaninen-Olsson, 2007).
According to Ochieng and Price (2009), temporary organised teams, unpredictable working schemes and unique project designs are characteristics of construction projects which present challenges and have direct impacts on KM applications in the construction industry. This issue is more common in a construction project undertaken through the TPS because the nature of this system is based on the separation of design and construction process (Aziz et al, 2014). The focus of scholars and researchers about implementing KM applications in the construction industry has been changed from how to manage knowledge within particular projects to how to manage knowledge across projects (Egbu, 2000; Egbu & Botterill, 2002). Furthermore, this change highlights the challenges that confront managing knowledge across projects.
As knowledge is the most value-added input and output of projects, then the study of KI between teamwork within project and across projects will provide a meaningful insight for stakeholders and academics that enable them to improve further the performance and competitiveness of industry. Baiden et al. (2006) state that gathering individuals with different skills and knowledge from different organisations in the form of an integrated project team can be efficient and effective for an organisation. In other words, such an integrated project team has the potential to create new skills and knowledge. This viewpoint is also in line with the study of Briscoe and Dainty (2005) that explored the importance of effective communication and information management as tools for combining the knowledge of different involved individuals in projects. These assets will lead to effective KI. Furthermore,
60 | P a g e El-Gohary and El-Diraby (2010) carried out the research which is in line with the above viewpoint and argued that not only simple exchange and integration of data but also KI of different work processes are highly encouraged for the construction industry. However, Carrillo (2004) indicates that the more effectively the knowledge is managed, the better project performance will be. The research focus of Carrillo (2004) is within individual organisations, whilst knowledge of experts, who are involved in different organisations; is required in most project activities in the construction industry.
On the other hand, many researchers have argued the involvement and the effect of project change in KM in academic research, because this issue involves a range of organisations. According to Egbu et al. (2003), project change is like an effective vehicle that can be used to enable knowledge production in construction projects. Furthermore, Sexton and Senaratne (2008) explored this issue and advocated that a project change can be used as a problem- solving process in construction projects, because it requires both knowledge and information processing from individuals that involved in project team. However, the fact that is not discussed and explored by researchers is the importance of KI across projects and organisational borders. Researchers suggest that knowledge sharing is a complex and essential social process in construction projects. In addition, KM is highly dependent on social capital and informal networks in the construction industry. However, a traditional economic theory, which is focused on transaction rather than network attributes, is used for analysing the process of a construction project (Styhre & Gluch, 2010).
The construction industry has suffered from low efficiency of project delivery due to its failure both to form effective teams and to implement a united approach to project delivery (Evbuomwan et al., 1998). In other words, poor performance affects the efficiency of project delivery because it is caused by lack of integrated teams where project participants are unable to work together effectively. As cost and time overruns are ordinary, many resources are used to rectify the defects. Latham’s (1994) and Egan’s (1998, 2002) reports have challenged the construction industry and suggested the implementation and use of integrated and collaborative approaches rather than the traditional modus operandi. In addition, process and team integration are suggested as a key factor of change that is required to improve the performance within the construction industry and make it become more successful. The definition of success is varied and usually defined as the achievements in terms of individual
61 | P a g e organisational metrics rather than the collective project outcomes (Cornick & Mather, 1999). Therefore, the construction industry has not fully benefited from teamwork or from achievements that can be result of KI within or across projects. A construction project encompasses a collaborative process which comprises the involvement of different organisations that constitute ‘the construction project team’.
Adenfelt and Maaninen-Olsson (2007), investigated the way in which project performance is positively influenced by integrating knowledge between projects. According to their studies, three main factors were identified:
KI depends on interaction between the projects and the organisational context of the projects
KI depends on concerned actors’ “time for reflection”, “the nature of the activities in the project”, and “interest and motivation of the involved actors”
The role of KM for integrating knowledge
Despite the positive influence of these factors on project performance, they should be investigated in terms of challenges that exist in KI sub-processes.