Celoza, A; De Oliveira, D P and Leite, F (2023) Qualitative analysis of the impact of contracts on information management in AEC projects. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 149(3): 04022185, ISSN 0733-9364
Abstract
Project information management in architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) projects can be a challenging endeavor due to the complex nature of projects and the numerous sources and types of information required, including drawings, plans, specifications, and building information modeling (BIM), among others. AEC projects require stakeholders to develop temporary teams, develop work processes, and collaborate across organizational boundaries. Additionally, the numerous technologies used in information management, such as project management software, scheduling software, and BIM, require contractual agreements among project stakeholders to address these technologies' potential risks while still allowing stakeholder collaboration to benefit project execution and delivery. Contracts are used to define project requirements and can be used to define different aspects of project information management, like required deliverables or stakeholder roles and responsibilities. While recent research has evaluated the relationship between BIM and contracts, there is a gap in understanding the relationship between contracts and information management more holistically. The objectives of this research were to gain insight into how contracts impact information management, identify barriers that exist in contracts related to information management, and to develop potential contract-related strategies to improve information management on AEC projects. Researchers implemented a qualitative analysis approach through semistructured interviews with 38 AEC professionals and the application of a systematic and iterative qualitative coding process. This research found that contracts can be used as a tool to influence the development and execution of project information management strategies. Specifically, contracts can be used to define deliverables, workflows, and software, as well as templates and forms. While interviewees discussed many contract-related challenges, they also proposed potential contract-related strategies to improve project information management. These strategies encompass three main categories: improving contract compliance, contract flexibility, and setting expectations. These findings provide insight into how contracts can impact project information management and provide practitioners with specific contract strategies to improve project information management.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | contract management; contracts; information management; qualitative analysis; qualitative coding |
| Index terms: | interview, specification, contract management, scheduling, strategy, drawing, project management software, collaboration, contract strategy, qualitative analysis, practitioner, project stakeholder, workflow, organizational boundary, building information modelling, management strategy, qualitative coding, contract compliance, agreements |
| Subjects: | digital technology, contract formation, operations research, technical documentation, contractual arrangements, data analysis and analytics, data collection methods, research design and methodology, practitioner, sociology, information systems, management, contractual condition, contract management |
| Topics: | Roles and Professions, Stakeholder Management, Procurement, Business Strategy, Research Practice, Time Control, Contract Administration, Organizational Design, Digital Applications, Design Practice |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here