Dr Chris Harty
Chris holds a BA in Sociology, History and English (First class, Northumbria), an MA in Contemporary Sociology (Lancaster University) and a PhD in Sociology (also from Lancaster). He is a Lecturer within the SCME, and an Associate Member of the Informatics Research Centre.
Chris' research focuses on the interactions between organisations, people and technology that constitutes socio-technical systems, and on understanding the ways that new practices and ways of using and working emerge and are shaped through engagement with new technologies. At the centre of this approach is understanding current practice, as well as the potential of new technologies. His work draws on a range of sociological concepts and methodologies, especially the area of science and technology studies. He has conducted studies of technology implementation and use on major construction projects, including the fifth terminal at Heathrow airport, and the Barts and the London Hospitals in central London.
Since 2010, Chris has been the Director of the Reading arm of the Health and Care Infrastructure Research and Innovation Centre (HaCIRIC).
Chris is keen to develop new ideas and collaborations, and to discuss potential PhD projects, around the areas of the effects and consequences of information technology on practices and organisational forms in construction, the role of information and knowledge management in the sector and, more generally, qualitative and sociologically oriented studies of engineering and construction practice.
E-mail Dr Chris Harty at: c.f.harty@reading.ac.uk
Publications list:
Article
Harty, C. and Whyte, J. (2010) Emerging hybrid practices in construction design work: role of mixed media. Journal of Construction and Engineering Management, 136 (4). pp. 468-476. ISSN 0733-9364 doi: 10.1061/ASCECO.1943-7862.0000146
Schweber, L. and Harty, C. (2010) Actors and objects: A socio-technical networks approach for construction management research. Construction Management and Economics, 28 (6). pp. 657-674. ISSN 0144-6193 doi: 10.1080/01446191003702468
Bresnen, M. and Harty, C. (2010) Editorial: Objects, knowledge sharing and knowledge transformation in projects. Construction Management and Economics, 28 (6). pp. 549-555. ISSN 0144-6193 doi: 10.1080/01446193.2010.495850
Harty, C. (2010) Implementing innovation: designers, users and actor-networks. Technology Analysis & Strategic Management, 22 (3). pp. 297-315. ISSN 1465-3990 doi: 10.1080/09537321003647339
Liu, K., Nakata, K. and Harty, C. F. (2010) Pervasive informatics: theory practice and future directions. Intelligent Buildings International, 2 (1). pp. 5-19. ISSN 1750-8975 doi: 10.3763/inbi.2009.0041
Harty, C. F. (2008) Implementing innovation in construction: Contexts, relative boundedness and actor-network theory. Construction Management and Economics, 26 (10). pp. 1029-1041. ISSN 0144-6193 doi: 10.1080/01446190802298413
Green, S. D., Harty, C., Elmualim, A. A., Larsen, G. D. and Kao, C. C. (2008) On the discourse of construction competitiveness. Building Research and Information, 36 (5). pp. 426-435. ISSN 0961-3218 doi: 10.1080/09613210802076666
Harty, C., Goodier, C., Soetanto, R., Austin, S., Dainty, A. and Price, A.D.F. (2007) The futures of construction: A critical review of construction future studies. Construction Management and Economics, 25 (5). pp. 477-493. ISSN 0144-6193 doi: 10.1080/01446190600879117
Book or Report Section
Harty, C. and Araujo, L. (2009) Aligning user practices in innovation: The case of Heathrow's Terminal 5 project. In: Hakansson, H., Waluszewski, A., Prenkert, F. and Baraldi, E. (eds.) Use of science and technology in business: Exploring the impact of using activity for systems, organizations and people. Emerald, Bingley UK, pp. 271-290. ISBN 9781848554740
Conference or Workshop Item
Davies, R. and Harty, C. (2011) Building Information Modelling as innovation journey: BIM experiences on a major UK healthcare infrastructure project. In: 6th Nordic Conference on Construction Economics and Organisation – Shaping the Construction / Society Nexus, 13th - 15th April 2011, Copenhagen, pp. 233-245. (Proceedings volume 2)
Harty, C. and Koch, C. (2011) Revisiting boundary objects: Enterprise Resource Planning and Building Information Modelling systems as multi-community artefacts. In: 6th Nordic Conference on Construction Economics and Organisation - Shaping the Construction / Society Nexus, 13th - 15th April 2011, Copenhagen, pp. 283-294. (Proceedings volume 2)
Collinge, W. H., Harty, C. F., Liu, K. and Tang, Y. (2010) Assessing organizational semiotics for IT systems design: improving information exchange processes across construction project stakeholders. In: 26th International Conference on IT in Construction & 1st International Conference on Managing Construction for Tomorrow, 1-3 Oct 2009, Istanbul, Turkey, pp. 239-247.
Harty, C., Throssell, D., Jeffrey, H. and Stagg, M. (2010) Implementing Building Information Modelling: a case study of the Barts and the London hospitals. In: Computing in Civil and Building Engineering, Proceedings of the International Conference, 30th June - 2nd July 2010, Nottingham, UK. (Paper 93)
Harty, C. and Koch, C. (2010) The surprisingly orderly world of multi-community artefacts. In: EASST, 25th - 29th August 2010, Tokyo, Japan.
Harty, C. (2009) Foucault, surveillance and the ‘dark side’ of BIM. In: 25th Annual ARCOM Conference, Nottingham, UK.
Harty, C. and Collinge, W. (2009) Improving information sharing across construction stakeholders: an organizational semiotics approach. In: Joint International Symposium of CIB Working Commissions: W65 and W55, 27 Sep - 01 Oct 2009, Dubrovnik, Croatia, pp. 348-357.
Larsen, G.D. and Harty, C. (2009) Regulations and innovations across the UK construction sector: Social shaping in action. In: 5th Nordic Conference on Construction Economics and Organisation, Reykjavik, Iceland, pp. 3-12.
Harty, C. and Collinge, W. (2009) Using organizational semiotics theory and analysis for IT systems design: improving information exchange processes amongst construction project stakeholders. In: CIB W78, Istanbul, Turkey.
Harty, C.F. and Leiringer, R. (2008) Construction management researchers as agents of change: balancing academic priorities and industry impact. In: Proc CIB W55/65 Joint International Symposium, Dubai.
Harty, C. F. (2008) Enacting digital coordination: Developing and implementing data management practices in construction work. In: Proc. CIB Joint International Symposium, Dubai.
Harty, C. (2008) Sociology and construction management research: Issues, approaches and implication. In: Proc. 24th Annual ARCOM Conference, Cardiff, UK.
Green, S. D. and Harty, C. F. (2008) Towards a co-production research agenda for construction competitiveness. In: Proc CIB Joint International Symposium, Dubai.
Whyte, J. and Harty, C. (2008) What is the object? Coordinating design work across a large construction project. In: Academy of Management, Anaheim, CA.
Harty, C. and Whyte, J. (2008) The role of media in construction design work and ecologies of practice. In: LEAD Leadership in Construction, Lake Tahoe, California, USA.
Harty, C. (2007) Implementing innovation: Transforming practices and technologies in construction work. In: CIB World Congress, Cape Town, South Africa.
Harty, C. (2007) Objects and subjects: The role of technology in the production of construction practice. In: Managing the construction of buildings, Copenhagen Business School.
Harty, C. and Leiringer, R. (2007) Social science research and construction: Balancing rigour and relevance. In: Construction Management and Economics 25th Anniversary Conference, Reading.
Harty, C., Goodier, C., Soetanto, R., Austin, S., Dainty, A., Price, A. and Thorpe, T. (2006) Scenario development: a methodology for aligning contemporary practices with the potential futures of UK construction. In: 22nd Annual ARCOM Conference, Birmingham, UK, pp. 601-610.
Harty, C. (2006) The role of users and contexts in innovation. In: Construction in the XXI Century: Local and global challenges, Rome, Italy.