The U.S. non-wood, non-metal strongprimarystrong building materials strongsectorstrong.pdfVIP

Automation in Construction 15 (2006) 383 – 397 /locate/autcon The U.S. non-wood, non-metal primary building materials sector in flux: A sectoral analysis and a proposed materials development and innovation framework Felichism W. Kabo * Doctoral Program in Architecture, Art Architecture Building, Room 2223A, University of Michigan, 2000 Bonisteel Blvd., Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2069, USA Abstract An examination of the building materials sector raised two critical questions: Why do more firms in the building materials sector not attempt to directly gauge end-users’ preferences? And, why do many materials producers employ self-limiting definitions of building materials? The sector was analyzed using transaction cost economics and network theory. A framework was then developed for materials development and innovation. The role of a key actor in the framework, the researcher, was illustrated through a materials study performed in a developing country. In concluding, it is suggested the framework could be used to expand the study, expand markets for the producer and strengthen producer–researcher links. D 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Building sector analysis; Building materials development; Organizational analysis; Technical materials research; Aesthetics and perceptual materials research 1. Introduction expansion to occur, building materials firms need to establish more systematic processes for gauging consumer The building mat