A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY ON E-COMMERCE IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY WITH THE APPLICATION OF IT AND ELECTRONIC TRANSACTIONS

Abstract

The construction industry is faced with the ongoing challenge to enhance current work practices and become more client-oriented. This trend is influenced by a number of factors, including greater performance expectations by clients, globalization of the economy, increased competitions between contractors, continued restructuring of work practices, industrial relations, and industry’s need to implement information and communication technologies (Love and MacSporran 1996 cited in Weippert, Kajewski and Tilley 2003). Despite the unique and individual nature of any construction project, it requires involvement by many participants, such as clients, designers, consultants, contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers, as an entity to perform various roles and responsibilities (Goodman and Chinowsky 1996). Sharing up-to-date information between participants leads to reduction of errors and time delays and consequently facilitates more effective and efficient productivity and ultimately improves collaboration and teamwork. However, the current construction industry is facing costly progress delays due to inaccurate and untimely communications amongst project team members. Often vital information is ‘lost’ to the degree that information needs to be re-entered, or hardcopy manuals and drawing documents need to be reproduced to have rapid access to the required information to perform some of their tasks (Weippert, Kajewski and Tilley 2003). Key Words: - OECD, ICT, E-Business, E Comers, Response activity.