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A Japanese perspective on the decline of robust technologies and changing technological paradigms in housing construction: issues for construction management research

Based on the concept of construction as a project-based economic activity, Steven Groák offered the idea of a technological paradigm to represent project-based technology fusion that is adaptive to the uncertainties embodied within construction projects. This paper discusses further research topics raised by the idea of the technological paradigm from a Japanese perspective. It verifies the effectiveness of Groák's notion by exemplifying phenomena identified in Japanese construction practices. First, the paper confirms how declining robust technologies are generating innovative activities in construction projects. Second, a ‘horizontal evolution’ case study is presented as evidence that the strategies engendered by the technological paradigm outperform those from the industrial paradigm. Then the paper identifies and focuses on the informality of project-based technology fusion. Relevant research topics are discussed, such as the unpredictability of system configuration, the integration of knowledge and know-how, and the regulatory framework for extending positive informality. It is concluded that the following topics have considerable significance for construction management research: (a) methodology to evaluate ‘robust limits’; (b) the process of project-to-project technology transfer and evolution; (c) organization formation of project-based technology fusion; and (d) regulatory framework that embodies informality to activate project-based technology fusion.