Challenges and Opportunities for Innovation in the Public Works ...

materials. But, is our Public Works Infrastructure challenge
merely technical, or even largely technical?
Several weeks ago, I participated in another infrastructure
workshop. Low quality, lack of innovation, and inadequate
education were suggested as the fundamental problems in public
works infrastructure. Are they fundamental, or are they merely
symptoms of deeper problems such as risk, and lack of a
coordinated, focused public/private approach? What isn't clear is
that innovative technical possibilities, brought about by focused
R&D, will lead inevitably to an improved public works
infrastructure. After all, much of the successful research
conducted in the U.S., is implemented in other countries, or
returns to the U.S. as a foreign product. Likewise, innovation
appears to be far more successful in the "industrial" component of
U.S. construction. We can add to this other factors, such as the
highly fragmented nature of both our public works infrastructure
and our design/construction industry.
Two days ago, I noticed what appears to be a striking analogy
to our public works infrastructure challenge. In a Washington Post
article,' Zbigniew Brzezinski discusses the collapse of Soviet
Communism under the heading, "The West Adrift: Vision in Search of
a Strategy!" Let me excerpt some of his observations:
The collapse of Soviet Communism calls for both a compelling
vision of the future and coolly defined strategic goals.
A vision is not the same as policy. A policy must define
strategic priorities that are attainable even if short of the
wholly desirable.
As it (now) is, Western policy involves a mixture of:
generalized hopes.., gnawing fears.., torrents of advice..,
endless schemes for grand solutions.., short term pell-mell
aid.., and, little attention to the longer range structural
reforms...
He goes on to say that the "result is a policy remarkably lacking
in strategic design and strategic coordination. It is not,
however, contrary to the criticism that is often made - lacking in
money or generosity."
Are his observations relevant for public works infrastructure?
If we substitute the term public works infrastructure for his
subject "Collapse of Soviet Communism," are the observations still
true?
'Washington Post Vol 87, 1 March 1992. "The West Adrift:
Vision in Search of a Strategy."
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