Abstract
Three strategically important uses of IT in the construction industry are management of project documents on webservers (EDM), electronic handling of orders and invoices between companies (EDI) and use of 3D models including non-geometrical attributes for integrated design and construction (BIM). The purpose of this work is to study factors that affect the decisions to implement these techniques as well as the actual adoption process. In a longitudinal survey study in the Swedish Construction Industry, the extent of use of these techniques was measured in 1998, 2000 and 2007. This paper presents a follow-up to the quantitative studies, where semi-structured interviews have been used, in a qualitative approach. The theoretical basis for the studies was informed by frameworks from IT-adoption theory. The results showed that decisions to implement these technologies are made on three different levels: individual level, company organizational level, and project organizational level. Different patterns in adoption can be explained by where decisions are mainly taken. EDM is driven from the project level, EDI mainly from the company level, and BIM is driven by individuals. The study points out that decision for implementing BIM should be taken on a higher strategic level in order to deliver intended benefits.
Highlights
IT-adoption in construction In the same way as in other industries and in society in general IT has had profound effects on the way the construction industry conducts its business
This paper focuses on three particular IT innovations: Electronic Document Management (EDM), Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) and Building Information Modelling (BIM)
Sometimes there are preexisting agreements with software providers, which internally or externally push towards using a certain EDMsystem, but usually there are no explicit requirements on the company level, and the decision to use EDM is made in the projects
Summary
IT-adoption in construction In the same way as in other industries and in society in general IT has had profound effects on the way the construction industry conducts its business. Already in the 1970s computers facilitated the technical calculations needed in structural design. In the 1980s the PC arrived and made the production of written documents as well as previously tedious tasks like cost calculation and budgeting much easier. In parallel Computer-aided Design (CAD), first using dedicated workstations and later on PCs, made the production of drawings much easier. The 1990s saw the advent of the Internet, which has facilitated the access to documents in projects, electronic ordering, etc. The first decade of the 21st century has seen few new basic tools emerge, but rather the maturing use of many of the technologies mentioned above, for example the changes in processes that have started as a result of increased BIM use and ongoing discussions of virtual construction, as well as an everincreasing integration of computers, mobile devices and networks
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