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Innovation is widely considered the lifeblood of organizational survival and growth. However, despite its importance, innovation diffusion does not take place spontaneously in organizations. In fact, diffusion of innovations (DoI) in project-based organizations (PBOs) is widely considered notoriously lukewarm. Nevertheless, it is inspiring to observe that project teams could suddenly change their lukewarm attitude in DoI when they receive pressure from the authority and industrial associations, or when they notice their peers starting to adopt an innovation. There seem to be some isomorphic pressures such as coercive, mimetic, and normative pressures that drive DoI. This research aims to identify the source factors of the isomorphic pressures that can be used to catalyze innovation diffusion with a focus on construction PBOs. It does so by conducting a 3-year in-depth case study in an international construction firm using a mixed-method approach including semiconstructed interviews and nonparticipatory observations. The research identified 12 specific source factors under the three categories of isomorphic pressure, i.e., coercive pressure, mimetic pressure, and normative pressure. Coercive pressure can arise from organizational policy, company culture, and influence from seniors; memetic pressure can stem from the influence of peer project teams as well as change agents such as innovation champions; and normative pressure derives from the sharing in regular events/meetings and related training. The practical contribution is that based on the source factors identified, top managers can tactically create such pressures to catalyze DoI meanwhile avoiding excessive pressures that might hinder DoI in their companies. Future studies are recommended to unravel the mechanism through which these source factors interact to take an effect, and based on that, devise the strategies that can harness the isomorphic pressures to boost DoI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

External program manager involvement can provide professional and systematic management services to owners. It can help to manage and coordinate different subprojects and ensure the achievement of the overall strategic goals of large projects. The promotion of external program manager involvement is not only efficiency-driven, but the institutional environment also has a significant impact. This study developed a theoretical model to explain how external program manager involvement is influenced by external institutional forces (coercive, mimetic, and normative pressures) and internal top management support. Based on a questionnaire survey, this study tested the research model through partial least-squares structural equation modeling. The empirical results revealed that coercive pressures have no significant impact on external program manager involvement; owners' top management support acts as a complete mediator between the mimetic pressures and external program manager involvement; normative pressures have the greatest impact on top management support and external program manager involvement, and top management support plays a key but partially mediating role. A direct contribution of this study is to reveal how different types of isomorphic pressures can be better exercised to facilitate the involvement of external program managers. Going further, by incorporating both external institutional pressures and internal top management support into the research model, this study provides insight into how organizations are influenced by external institutions to apply tools or approaches internally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]