A constructivist-constructionist benchmarking methodology for achieving excellence in the construction industry

The search for excellence within the construction industry, specifically the construction industry in the UK, is primarily focused on quality-improvement techniques that often include benchmarking. These benchmarking initiatives are generally incorporated alongside a myriad of Business Improvement concepts and methodologies such as the Balanced Scorecard, Self-assessment techniques and Six Sigma. The concept of benchmarking is often addressed in terms of an instrument consisting of systematic procedures to be followed for improving performance by sharing best practice. It is argued in this paper that the focus on outcomes.. and processes for delivering these outcomes lacks a conceptual and philosophical basis for the practice of benchmarking to be aligned with current postmodern approaches that can provide the 'space' for generating knowledge on a shared basis. Here, benchmarking is viewed as knowledge sharing/production both in generating knowledge within a disciplinary, primarily cognitive context (Mode 1), and knowledge that is created in broader transdisciplinary, social and economic context (Mode 2). The paper draws upon two bodies of work: Gibbons et al, regarding the 'new production of knowledge' and Gherardi et al. and Wenger's work on communities of practice (CoPs) and social learning systems. The paper argues for a constructivist-constructionist orientation for benchmarking, viewed in terms of engaging in communities that are involved in practitioner-research as committed benchmarking process owners.