Rationalising the professional interest in academic construction research

Industries consist of two segments practice and academia; these often interact and contemplate each other to create new wisdom. Recent criticisms focus on questioning the low interest of construction professionals in following their academic body of knowledge compared to other professions. This study aims to explore the minimal tendency to read and embrace academic literature in the construction professional practice and whether the reading culture among these professionals is incrementally linked to the sector’s longstanding setting, or is it merely influenced by the status quo of construction research. Overall, eight semi-structured interviews have been conducted to build the relative rationale. The study’s novelty is through its attempt to illuminate and critically argue the views of the insiders from within the profession, providing a deeper insight on the responsibility of academics and researchers to change what has supposedly become an isolated community and alter their behaviours to achieve broader reach and exposure. Future research to encourage construction management researchers to view professionals as partners in the research process rather than as mere sources of information.