An overview of complexity theory and its application to the construction industry

The theory and science of complexity are relatively new in the world of academia; this new way of thinking holds much scope when considering modern issues and problems. The term complex refers to a system that is made up of a large number of interacting parts and in essence complexity science is the study of these interactions. As part of a global research project aimed at establishing the impact of project complexity on project risks at the pre-construction stage, a literature search type investigation concerning complexity science and its potential application to the construction industry has been carried out. Initial investigation reveals that there is a limited number of studies in the meaning and application of complexity science within the construction industry; therefore the literature search put more emphasis on how other industries understood, applied and managed complexity in order to draw lessons learnt which may be applicable to the construction industry. It is a common statement that construction projects are considered to be one of the most complex operations, therefore an understanding of project complexity and how it might be managed is of significant importance. Although some research work around the area of project complexity in the construction industry has been carried out in the past, there is still no real clear acceptable definition of project complexity in construction by today’s standards. Therefore this paper aims to evaluate the potential application of complexity science in construction industry and attempts to provide a clearer definition of project complexity in the construction industry.