| The capacity for innovation of the Quebec construction industry is stagnant. Even though there is research activity, the risk linked with innovation is still too high according to some construction companies. Even if the construction industry represents 10% of the Quebec economy, the government still has not taken any measures to facilitate the integration of innovation gb into construction projects.; From the international point of view, many countries already use competitive model of best practices sharing like the "Constructing Excellence" in Great Britain or the "Construction Industry Institute" in the United States. Therefore, the aim of this study is to propose an action plan for a "center of best practices" dedicated to the construction industry and based on generic components extracted from world class models.; In a continuous improvement process, the benchmarking of building projects contributes to the development of a knowledge sharing culture and to identify innovative practices. That is exactly the current mission of the "Centre d'etudes et de recherches pour l'avancement de la construction au Quebec" (CERACQ) through its "Benchmarking Program" started in October 2005 in collaboration with the "Ecole de Technologie Superieure". The first conclusions of this project are exposed in this thesis giving a "insider's" description of the business context of the Quebec construction industry.; An adapted knowledge transfer mechanism can guide the applied research in construction to fulfill its needs and to be beneficial to the industry. However, without any government implications, a supply chain based on lowest costs will not eliminate a "culture of secrecy" that is still far too prevailing in today's companies' officers mentality. |
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