A strategic approach to the implementation of information technologies in small and medium-sized architecture, engineering and construction enterprises

It is widely recognised that collaboration in the Architecture, Engineering andConstruction (AEC) sector increases productivity, improves quality, competitivenessand profitability. This poses the problem of what are the most appropriate collaborationmethods available to accommodate unique work settings and virtual organisation likemodus operandi. With Building Information Modelling (BIM) being imposed by thegovernment on AEC projects by 2016, the development of new technology forcollaboration purposes is one solution to this problem. Unfortunately informationtechnologies have failed in productivity growth despite previous government's attempts,most famously, with the 2004 Latham and 2008 Egan reports. In fact, companiesfrequently fail in achieving the full profitability from their implementations. However,the government sees BIM as a way to drive efficiency during the economic downturn.BIM is not about a specific technology, but ensuring the whole-sector adoption isfundamental. Many high-profile clients and contractors are reviewing what are thetechnologies utilised and how efficient are they for collaborative working between largecompanies and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)? In fact, many SMEs within thesector would like to be implementing BIM not only for the business productivity, butalso to not get left behind. It is, however, commonly observed that SMEs have fewerchances to set it right and so thev need uuidance. Debate over whether or not to use CO - CTBIM has become almost irrelevant. Instead, the question raised is how collaborativetechnologies promote collaborative working between large companies and SMEs in theAEC sector to increase productivity and improve quality to meet the high collaborationdemands?Against this background, several approaches from the literature were reviewed. This ledto identifying the key elements to focus on during the collaborative technologiesimplementation to enhance successful collaboration. A qualitative study of fourteencases was developed in order to map the current practice of the collaborativetechnologies implementations and their success level in the AEC sector. The casestudies revealed a number of factors affecting the success of collaborative technologiesimplementations. These factors were affecting the collaboration at the organisation level. This also led to further investigation of the factors affecting the collaboration atthe end-user level. The quantitative study of a survey returned by sixty four respondentswas guided by the list of elements proposed by the review developed from the literature.The results suggested that the success of collaborative technologies depends on 23variables. To assess the level of importance of the explored variables, a study of factoranalysis was initiated. This allowed the large number of variables to be distilled into asmall number of related factors. There appear to be five major groupings of factors. Thefirst grouping contains seven Individual variables. Second in importance is the groupingof five Organisational variables. The third grouping consists of three Legal variables.The fourth grouping includes three Socio-cultural variables. The fifth grouping isformed of four Project variables.This research concluded that, collaborative technologies are effective methods tosupport collaboration within the AEC and meet the demands of the sector, whenstrategically implemented, underlined by a set of factors, which are interpreted todescribe the data derived from the qualitative and quantitative approaches, in aparsimonious but more meaningful number of concepts than the originally developedvariables. Recommendation emerged from these findings are used to suggest a path forSMEs to implement BIM into AEC. so that they are better prepared for the future waysof working.

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

Doctoral (Level 8)

Year dc:date.issued

2012

Author dc:creator

• Abuelma'atti, A

Language dc:language

en

Identifier

oai:salford-repository.worktribe.com:1338362

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:salford-repository.worktribe.com:1338362