Organizational Transition Towards Circular Public Infrastructure
Navigating internal organizational change in the case of Dutch water authorities
S.T. ALEX (TU Delft - Civil Engineering & Geosciences)
A. Straub – Mentor (Design & Construction Management)
Martijn Leijten – Graduation committee member (TU Delft - Organisation & Governance)
J.H. Veldhuis – Graduation committee member (Design & Construction Management)
Janiek Baarends – Graduation committee member ( Hoogheemraadschap van Delfland)
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Abstract
The Dutch government has envisioned and is working towards a completely circular economy in the Netherlands by 2050. However, studies indicate that the current progress of the transition is insufficient to achieve set ambitions. Transforming the resource intensive construction sector is vital for the transition to circular economy. Since infrastructure projects are primarily procured by public entities, these client organizations can drive the development of a circular construction economy by boosting market demand through strategic purchasing policies. Incorporating changes to transition from linear to circular way of working place significant demands on client organizations. A notable group feeling this pressure is the Dutch regional water authorities. These public organizations are responsible for water management at the regional level. The 21 water authorities, together build and manage huge numbers of infrastructure assets like flood defences, navigable water ways, pumping stations and waste water treatment plants. These organizations directly deal with the consequences of climate change such as heavier rains and prolonged periods of drought. Despite recognizing the urgency for the transition, the water boards struggle to progress beyond pilot projects, increase maturity levels throughout the organization, and align new policies with daily practices. While the technical know-how for circular economy transition is extensively researched, successful implementation requires organizations to also adapt internally to support the transition. Therefore, this study addresses the pressing need for effective change strategies to adjust the internal organization of public clients to facilitate the transition to a circular way of working. The study proposes an organizational change framework, that provides recommendations on what internal changes can be implemented within the water boards to accelerate their transition to circular construction. With strong theoretical foundations from existing planned change management literature, the study offers practical recommendations for change based on case studies of two water authorities- Hoogheemraadschap van Delfland and Waterschap Vallei en Veluwe.