1st Edition
Embracing Ethnography Doing Contextualised Construction Research
This book calls for those interested in robust construction research to embrace ethnography – in all its forms, including rapid ethnographies, ethnographic-action research, autoethnography, as well as longer-term ethnographies.
The diversification of ethnographic approaches, as well as ethnographers, will lead to rich insights that can advance the industry theoretically and practically. We share experiences, key considerations and recommendations from leading construction ethnographic researchers from around the world to provide discussion, reflection and understanding into doing ethnography in the construction industry.
This book is aimed at academics, students, consultants, editors, reviewers, policymakers, funders and others interested in robust research in the construction industry and built environment but will also be useful for those undertaking research within organisations in other industries.
Section I: Introducing the construction context and culture
Introduction
Dr. David Oswald & Dr. Léon olde Scholtenhuis
The culture of construction in Western society
Kevin Porter
The culture of construction in Eastern society
Dr. Sarah Swider
Negotiating gender in construction ethnography
Dr. Natalie Galea
Section II: Ethnographic research considerations for the construction context
Ethnographic methods in construction
Dr. David Oswald
Doing ethical research in an industry context
Prof. Jan Hayes & Prof. Sarah Maslen
Philosophical reflections on ethnography in construction research
Dr. Hans Voordijk
How ethnographic methodologies contribute to construction practice
Dr. David Oswald & Dist. Prof Helen Lingard
Ethnography for construction 5.0
Prof. Sarah Pink
Section III: Doing ethnography in the construction industry
Doing short-term ethnography
Richard Brett
Doing long-term ethnography
Dr. David Oswald, Dr. Simon Smith & Dr. Fred Sherratt
Doing multi-site ethnography
Dr. Andrea Yunyan Jia
Doing case based inter-organisational ethnography
Evelijn Martinius & Prof. Leentje Volker
Doing ethnographic-action research
Dr. Léon olde Scholtenhuis
Doing ethnographic video interviewing
Joan Ongodia & Prof. Timo Hartmann
Doing online ethnography
Dr. Laura Osburn, Dr. Madison Snider, and Prof. Carrie Sturts Dossick
Doing auto-ethnography
Dr. Leon Crascall & Dr. Fred Sherratt
Section IV: Construction ethnography examples, outcomes and reflections
An ethnography of co-creating collaboration, innovation, and value
Dr. Ani Raiden & Dr. Emmanuel Manu
An ethnography exploring H&S communication in construction workgroups
Dr. David Oswald & Dist. Prof Helen Lingard
An ethnographic account of circular demolition practices: realising reuse potentials
Dr. Marc van den Berg
An autoethnography to reveal the bitter truth: I’m the problem
Dr. Henning Grosse
Conclusions
Dr. Léon olde Scholtenhuis & Dr. David Oswald
Biography
David Oswald is an Associate Professor in the School of Property, Construction and Project Management at RMIT University, Australia. He has undertaken award-winning ethnographic research in the fields of construction management and the built environment, including the ‘2020 Best Paper Award’ in a leading journal in the field, the Journal of Construction, Engineering and Management.
Léon olde Scholtenhuis is an Associate Professor in the Department of Construction Management and Engineering at the University of Twente, Netherlands. Léon’s lab conducts practice-based research, focusing on the intricacies of planning and construction operations and how technological innovations enter this context. Léon publishes ethnographic action research work in technology and construction management outlets such as the Journal of Construction Engineering and Management and the ASCE Monograph Series.
