The Future of Construction: Tackling Change with Intrapreneurship

Intrapreneurship is a relatively recent concept that is gaining recognition in many industries worldwide. An intrapreneur is defined as an entrepreneurial person within a company, who is willing to take risks in an effort to solve a business problem.

In the context of the construction industry, intrapreneurs are those who seek out and embrace innovative technologies, find new and interesting ways to meet operational health & safety targets and reduce both ‘busy work’ and rework. How can companies in the construction industry foster a culture that encourages innovation and change?

During a recent roundtable, hosted by Procore in Sydney, Australia, participants from government, construction, and education gathered to examine the symbiotic relationship between intrapreneurs and the technology available to them: how they can solve business problems, increase efficiencies, discover opportunities, and streamline testing and adoption?

The panel included representatives from Ontoit, Spence Construction, Villa World, Taylor Construction, Icon Co, Open Data Australia, Shape Group, Frost & Sullivan, Real Estate Institute of New South Wales, UTS, Watpac and TOGA.

The roundtable discussion highlighted the potential risk for human resistance when new technologies are introduced to users. It was suggested that a sense of personal agency needed to be created for innovative results and part of that requires buy-in from senior leaders.

Download a copy of the Intrapreneurship in Construction issues paper for a detailed discussion of the key topics surrounding the adoption of digital technology in the construction industry in Australia.