Diffusion of platform thinking as an innovation in the construction supply chain

Abstract

The construction industry has received long-standing criticism over its fragmented approach to supply chain management, adversarial relationships and ongoing defects. Platform thinking has been observed in other industries as a phenomenon that offers reinvention from the traditional perspectives on the supply chain. In this study, a literature review of platform thinking is presented. A database search of 656 papers across 15 journals, along with 3 sources from a Google search and 12 sources from a manual review of the reference lists were reviewed in relation to platform thinking in construction. While many variants of platforms exist, the literature review demonstrates a focus on product platforms that has historical precedents. This paper highlights the benefits of platform thinking while linking to the lessons of the past. This also provides a valuable insight for future implications of platform thinking and contributes to the limited literature on platform thinking in the construction industry by linking historical examples with present and potential future investigation.