British construction business 1700-2000: proactive innovation or reactive evolution?

Purpose – This paper aims to study the British construction sector c.1700-2000 and compare its “proactive” innovative development with “reactive” business evolution. Design/methodology/approach – Qualitative, interpretative, literature synthesis was used in this paper. Findings – Each of the three centuries observed exhibits distinct construction business (CB) characteristics resulting mainly from exogenous influences, including: macroeconomic forces, demand volatility, supply chain and allied sectors’ evolvement, division of labour, competition and technological change. For most CB organisations, innovation was principally an exogenous influence vis-à-vis endogenous strategic intention. Research limitations/implications – The study adds to a dearth of historical CB research and its documentation. Practical implications – The evolvement of construction organisations will be of relevance to CB stakeholders. Originality/value – Construction history is under-researched. Contrasting CB innovation and evolution is novel.