Chasing a Snail: Innovation and Housebuilding Firms' Strategies

British housebuilding has an exceptionally poor record at introducing innovations in design and production methods. Recent government concern about the poor innovation and productivity performance of the construction industry has focused almost entirely on changing the strategies of firms. In the context of housebuilding, this focus seems insufficient. Instead, it is argued here that housebuilders face particular market constraints on innovation in both their output and input markets. These constraints are investigated and proposals to limit them are suggested, which, if introduced, should make new firm strategies toward innovation more likely to be successful.

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