Effectiveness of push and pull learning strategies in construction management

“Push learning” in construction management happens when learners have little or no power in defining the problem, action or knowledge that is required to improve their own working environment or process. In the “pull learning” situation, people working in construction are in charge of learning for themselves by exploring their actions as they work. This paper presents a case study that investigated the use of these learning strategies in the creation of a “learning mood” within a medium sized contractor towards modern production principles. The results showed clear indications that the creation of an effective “learning mood” in construction is more likely to happen in a supportive environment characterised by “pull learning”. However, “push learning” proved very useful in provoking the initial reflection that triggered “pull learning”. Therefore, a balanced approach between “push” and “pull” learning seems the best way to introduce changes in construction organisations searching for improvement and innovations