Engaged scholarship in construction management research: the adoption of information and communications technology in construction projects

The objective is to explore what engaged scholarship (ES) could mean for construction management research in facilitating interactions between practice and theory. ES aims to develop knowledge that advances both science and practice through engagement of scholars with practice. Three types of ES are discussed: practice research, design research and action research. These three kinds of ES are explained through their different knowledge–action relations: action theories or ‘knowledge about action’, design research or ‘knowledge for action’, and action research or ‘knowledge through action’. The relevance of these three types of ES in facilitating interactions between practice and theory is clarified through elaborating on a research programme on the adoption of information and communications technology (ICT) in construction projects. First, based on grounded theory, a model is developed to understand and explain why individuals and organizations are (not) using ICT in the intended way. Second, based on this model and expert interviews, solutions are designed to potential barriers to the successful use of ICT in construction projects. Third, interventions in construction projects based on these solutions are presented. It is argued that the different kinds of ES presuppose each other and are all needed to facilitate interactions between practice and theory in construction management research.