Innovation in the Japanese Construction Industry: A 1995 Appraisal.
Innovation in the Japanese Construction Industry: A
1995 Appraisal.
(14577 K)
Gann, R. G.; Anderson, T. L.; Bomba, S. J.; Cemenska, R.
A.; DiTomas, E. E.; Duscha, L. A.; Ehrenkrantz, E.;
Goldberg, B.; McGinnis, C. I.; Paulson, B. C., Jr.;
Raufaste, N. J., Jr.; Reinschmidt, K. F.; Rosenfeld, A.
H.
NIST SP 898; 265 p. March 1996.
Sponsor:
Department of Energy, Washington, DC
Available from:
Government Printing Office
Order number: SN003-03401-1
Keywords:
construction; industries
Abstract:
As part of a national effort to benchmark the
competitiveness of U.S. industries, this study evaluates
the state of technology and innovation in the Japanese
construction industry. That industry is large, solid
and progressive, leading the world in the size of its
construction industry relative to GDP, in the modernity
and quality of its constructed facilities, in the size
and quality of its physical research laboratories, and
in its private and public investments in construction
research and development. The Japanese have built an
integrated approach toward incorporating new
technologies into their design and construction projects
and lead in such areas as large-scale bridges, tunnels,
soft-ground construction, congested area construction,
high performance construction materials, automated
"jack-up" erection techniques for high-rise buildings,
and computer visualization of residences for prospective
buyers. The United States leads in computer integration
of design and construction, the economy of constructed
facilities, and global positioning systems. The
Japanese are generally faster in providing nationalwide
acceptance of innovations. The Japanese industry has
taken strong measures to increase the pace of its
internationalization, but still lags both United States
and European competitors in market penetration, in large
part due to the currently strong yen. Recent economic
pressures have reduced the Japanese allocation of
resources to construction R&D. The United States and
its construction industry can benefit from the practices
and innovations developed by the Japanese. While a
direct transfer of the Japanese R&D approach and the
emerging technologies may not always be feasible, the
opportunities for modified application and the potential
value of increased U.S. investment in construction R&D
should not be overlooked. The U.S. industry would
derive considerable benefit from the establishment of a
U.S. public/private sector program both to conduct
multidisciplinary R&D and to efficiently disseminate
evaluated technology focussed in the construction field.
