Stine Harboe Petersen (stineharboep@sdu.dk)
Department of Culture and Language, University of Southern Denmark (SDU), 2026
Abstract
This PhD thesis explores organisational culture (OC) within the Danish construction industry through the lens of critical realism. Conducted as a three-year industrial PhD collaboration between the University of Southern Denmark and the contractor Enemærke & Petersen, and funded by Innovation Fund Denmark, the project investigates how OC manifests in practice across construction settings. The thesis argues that research on OC in construction has traditionally been dominated by functionalist and quantitative approaches, treating OC as a variable that can be measured and managed. This has led to superficial analyses that overlook the complexity and depth of OC’s role in organisational life. By adopting a critical realist framework, the study conceptualises culture as a layered phenomenon shaped by the interplay of structure, agency, and culture (SAC). This approach facilitates a more nuanced understanding of how cultural structures emerge, are reproduced, and evolve in practice. Methodologically, the research is grounded in organisational ethnography with participant observations conducted at three different construction sites. This enabled access to both formal and informal practices, as well as insights into conflict and collaboration. Data collection has been supplemented by reflections on the researcher’s dual role as both colleague and researcher. Structured as an article-based thesis, the work comprises four research papers: (1) a conceptual paper on OC through a critical realist lens, (2) an empirical study of piece-rate pay as a cultural manifestation and its impact on collaboration, (3) a study of model-based collaboration and metaphors for “connectivity” in construction projects, and (4) a conceptual and empirical development of the game metaphor to understand micro-level interactions and relational complexity in project-based collaboration. The findings reveal that piece-rate pay is a central cultural structure in Danish construction, simultaneously enabling and constraining collaboration. Furthermore, a persistent “us versus them” dynamic is present, with alliances and tensions forming across professions and roles. Emotional dynamics and affective atmospheres are shown to significantly shape everyday interactions, both fostering and undermining collaborative efforts. It is concluded that leading culture in construction requires the development of cultural leadership competency, including the ability to work strategically with cultural project onboarding, expectation alignment, and the management of relational tensions. Furthermore, the thesis highlights the need for increased interdisciplinarity and reflexivity in both research and practice to support more inclusive, productive, and innovative collaboration in the industry. The thesis thus offers both theoretical contributions and practical insights to inspire transformative change in the sector.
Methods
Qualitative: Organisational ethnography, participant observations