Diffusion and Durability of Integrated Project Delivery Practices: An Innovation Diffusion Perspective
2026
Download PaperDOI: https://doi.org/10.60164/n8yf6kbi6
Authors: Ahmad J. Arar, Sara Rankohi, Sheryl Staub-French, Myriam Gakwaya, Erik Poirier
Citation:
Arar, A. J., Rankohi, S., Staub-French, S., Gakwaya, M., and Poirier, E. (2026). Diffusion and Durability of Integrated Project Delivery Practices: An Innovation Diffusion Perspective. Lean Construction Journal 2026 Special Issue CRC-CSCE pp 230-250 https://doi.org/10.60164/n8yf6kbi6 (Submitted 10Jan2026; Accepted 16Sep2026) www.leanconstructionjournal.org
Abstract:
Question: How does Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) diffuse within organizations beyond individual projects, and how can “value” definition be used to interpret the durability of IPD-driven changes (sustaining IPD adoption within organizations)?
Purpose: This paper empirically examines IPD diffusion within organizations through the lens of Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) theory and introduces value, drawing on Target Value Delivery (TVD), as an interpretive lens for adoption durability. It aims to explore why IPD diffuses unevenly across organizational practices and why some changes are sustained while others are not.
Research Method: A mixed-methods sequential design was employed, combining a survey of 25 Canadian construction professionals with IPD experience and seven semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis, with DOI as the primary lens and TVD concepts used interpretively to examine differences in adoption depth and durability.
Findings: IPD diffuses unevenly across organizational practices, with strong influence observed in culture, communication, learning, tools, and organizational structure, and limited diffusion in decision-making, risk management, procurement, and performance measurement. Interpreted through a TVD lens, the findings suggest that adoption may exhibit greater durability when collaboration is anchored in explicit value definition and target-based steering, which enhance observability and reduce uncertainty.
Limitations: The study is limited by a small, region specific sample and reliance on self-reported data. In addition, TVD was used interpretatively rather than measured directly, limiting causal claims regarding its implementation.
Implications: The study contributes to research on DOI by highlighting value governance as a potentially important factor in how organizations transform their practices as a result of their participation in IPD projects. For practice, it suggests that durable IPD implementation may benefit from explicit value definition and target-based decision-making, while for owners and policymakers it highlights the need to align governance frameworks with value-driven delivery.
Value for authors: This paper provides an empirically grounded framework for understanding IPD diffusion, interpreted through a value-governance lens. By integrating IPD, DOI, and TVD, it offers a foundation for future research and practical guidance aimed at achieving durable transformation in project-based organizations.
Keywords: Integrated project delivery, IPD, Diffusion of Innovation Theory, DOI Target Value Delivery, TVD, Value, Lean
Paper type: Full paper