Technological Innovation

This subject is not offered in 2016.

170 hours

Admission into one of the following courses:

MC-CM Master of Construction Management
MC-CONMG2Y Master of Construction Management (200 points)
MC-CONMG3Y Master of Construction Management (300 points)
MC-PROP Master of Property
MC-PROP2Y Master of Property (200 points)
MC-PROP3Y Master of Property (300 points)
MC-ARCH Master of Architecture
MC-ARCH2Y Master of Architecture (200 points)
MC-ARCH3Y Master of Architecture (300 points)

Or approval from the subject coordinator.

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

An examination of how new products and processes are developed specifically in or for the building sector; a discussion of what constrains their dissemination; and a theory of how success can be determined. The dialogue established with the students in the subject has a strong comparative bent, and seeks to emphasise how technological innovation in building takes on a different meaning depending on industrial context, markets and economic cycles. Australian government positions and characteristics of the Australian industry are compared to other geographic realities to emphasise this point. Overall, attention is directed at distinguishing innovation from invention and technological change.

• To introduce students to product substitution processes and their logics in the construction industry;
• To articulate the impact of ‘non-building’ factors over introduction and dissemination of change in building;
• To clarify the extent to which the construction industry operates in conjunction with manufacturing, real estate, and policy sectors;
• To enable students articulate the conditions enabling technological transformations to take place.

• Weekly class participation showing ability to discuss how project operations are structured against technological alternatives,risk allocation and definable constraints, (10%);

• Gathering of discussion-specific data equivalent to 1,000 words, showing students’ ability to research and collate information about relevant technological options in given industrial contexts/situations. This data will form the basis of the essay and will be submitted as part of the final report, due week 7 (20%);

• Essay equivalent to 4,000 words (90%, incorporating 20% for the data collection component), due in week 12, demonstrating one’s ability to think strategically and creatively in addressing key construction issues and/or planning construction project activities, as well as evaluating building output.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

• Ability to peruse project archives;
• Ability to undertake ideal-type analysis;
• Understanding of the type of industrial data required in socio-technical studies;
• Ability to identify and use building industry's databases;
• Ability to derive theoretical positions from empirical work;
• Ability to prepare and conduct technical interviews with industry representatives;
• Ability to combine data from primary and secondary sources for the development of a technical argument;
• Ability to translate these data into a cohesive piece of original research.