Centre for Construction Project Organising (CCPO)

How does CCPO work?

CCPO works by:

• Engaging with universities to stimulate research and collaboration and build a new cohort of doctoral students
• Engaging with practitioners to support teaching, offer sites for MSc/PhD level research, and undertake joint research projects
• Publishing scientific research and practical industry guidance
• Hosting knowledge sharing activities with both academics and practitioners
• Offering short courses and commercial advisory in the management and organisation of construction projects

What does CCPO study?

Our primary unit of observation is the construction project.

The construction project is not a separate, independent entity. It is inextricably entangled in a wider transactional and relational network of organisations and individuals involved in construction project organising. That’s why we seek to understand this phenomenon at multiple levels – all the way from the institutional to the individual.

Academic focus

We see construction project organising as a process that is always incomplete and in the making.

It is inherently uncertain and dynamic, involves extensive communication and information exchange, is reproduced over a predefined time and space, and is open to many possible outputs and outcomes. We don’t reject the concept of organisation, rather we explore both organisation and organising, and the interaction between them. That’s why CCPO is firmly rooted in a process/practice onto-epistemological and theoretical orientation – drawing on Pragmatism and Practice Theory, and Routine Dynamics in particular.

Industry focus

We see construction project organising to be about managing and organising intentional change for the creation of value from built assets. This is an intentional orientation towards sustainable construction – a future where:

• all stakeholders are more integrated and have a more positive attitude towards the wellbeing of participants
• participants are capable of (re)creating the shared meaning of the value to be created from project outputs and outcomes
• it is recognised that this can only be achieved during the process of delivering the whole project, transactionally and relationally

What’s the big question we are asking?

We are really interested in ‘how’ construction project organisations and their participants ‘re-create patterns of action’ to accomplish intentional change and create value.

That’s why CCPO is looking for new collaborators to help grow a shared understanding of how construction project organisations become capable of delivering value, through (un)intentional change.

How can I get involved?

CCPO welcomes a diverse and multi-disciplinary approach to the study of construction projects, their management and their organisation.

We are interested in diversity in topics (i.e., sponsorship, procurement, planning, stakeholders, etc.) and the theoretical and conceptual lenses through which these topics are explored (i.e., routines, capability, transition, boundaries, knowledge, networks, relationships, etc).

Whether you are from a project firm looking to enhance capabilities, a research student seeking like-minded peers, or an academic working in the field, please get in touch.

Get in touch

Our partnerships

We are seen around the world as a centre for generating research and insight into the management of projects, into the enterprises involved with such projects, and into the associated economics and finance that can make a real difference to the delivery and improvement of our built environment. Find out more about our partnerships.