Building a Sustainable Future: The Role of Dynamic Capabilities in Engineering Consultancy Firms

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Examensarbete för masterexamen
Master's Thesis
Program
Design and construction project management (MPDCM), MSc
Publicerad
2024
Författare
Gisselblad Seibt, Victor
Hultman, Ludvig
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The Architecture, Construction, and Engineering (ACE) industry is moving towards more sustainable practices, but is still characterized by its high environmental im- pacts. Given the significant environmental impact of the ACE industry and its potential to transition towards greater sustainability, the concept of Dynamic Ca- pabilities in sustainability efforts has received increased attention from both indus- try practitioners and researchers. It has been argued that Dynamic Capabilities increases the chances of generating and maintaining sustainable practices in the industry. The aim of this study is to map Dynamic Capabilities of consultancy firms and to investigate which capabilities support the transition towards more sus- tainable building practices and if demonstrating Dynamic Capabilities can lead to competitive advantages. The research process included a literature review, where existing theories on Dynamic Capabilities were explored in different contexts, includ- ing the ACE industry, consulting, and sustainability. In addition, semi-structured interviews were conducted with roles such as sustainability and market managers, sustainability strategists and management consultants with a sustainability niche at smaller, medium-sized and large industry-leading engineering consultancy firms in Sweden. The results revealed that consultancy firms in the ACE industry demon- strate several sustainability-related Dynamic Capabilities that facilitate a sustain- able transition, and that courage and collaboration are capabilities required to chal- lenge established practices and drive sustainable development forward. However, there are contrasting narratives regarding the link between demonstrated Dynamic Capabilities and competitive advantage. This study contributes to the field of Dy- namic Capabilities in the ACE industry by mapping sustainability-related Dynamic Capabilities. Additionally, it presents key capabilities that industry practitioners consider crucial to drive their sustainability agenda forward as well as a discussion of potential competitive advantages.
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ACE industry , Dynamic Capabilities , Competitive advantages , Engineering consultancy firms , Sensing , Seizing , Reconfiguring
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