Chao, C-H (2001) Formulation of an e -business inter-enterprise collaboration for the construction industry. PhD thesis, Northwestern University, USA.
Abstract
Demands for optimization and greater efficiency in the construction industry become particularly critical when the flow of project information extends beyond the borders of individual organizations. In addition, traditional business partnerships are changing in response to technology advancements and business innovations. Many companies have already reengineered their internal processes, and now the focus has shifted to their trading partners. With network connectivity, supply chain integration is the core strategic competence that enables many companies to act as one. The development of an integrated supply chain over the Internet is one of the most important business trends in e-business. This study focuses on the development of an object-oriented enterprise blueprint for construction business operations. This approach enables (a) the tedious redesign efforts of information systems to be avoided, thus allowing the corporate information system to become very adaptive, (b) applications to be run on different platforms through network connectivity, and (c) the schematic business blueprint to be viewed as an open architecture that links a given enterprise to its trading partners via process-to-process oriented communication. Major issues include (a) the practices of information technology in the construction industry and the opportunities that current business and technological innovations can offer, (b) the abstract theoretical modeling of business and object-oriented operations, (c) the business-to-business supply chain framework that embraces all aspects of production and service, (d) the integration of business systems that enables construction partners to create a common business portal, and (e) the value that the proposed solution might contribute to the construction industry. With a new focus on process and supply chain management, traditional A/E/C partnerships will have to redefine their business strategies. The collaborative commerce supply chain scheme and adaptive information architecture that enables a knowledge-sharing “virtual construction team” to retain dynamic equilibrium while moving forward at an ever-increasing speed to fulfill many mission-critical business processes throughout a project lifecycle will undoubtedly be the best business solution for the new millennium.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Thesis advisor: | Krizek, R J |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | competence; optimization; technological innovation; collaboration; commerce; communication; e-business; information system; information technology; innovation; integration; lifecycle; partnership; supply chain management |
| Index terms: | platform, efficiency, project lifecycle, construction team, partnership, technological innovation, lifecycle, commerce, supply chain integration, redesign, construction industry, modelling, internet, connectivity, business strategy, integration, competence, collaboration, information technology, information system, e-business |
| Subjects: | personnel development, digital design, management, performance management, industry analysis, information systems, networking, organizational analysis, partnership management, asset management, computing systems, design methods, business, project completion, innovation and technology management, digital commerce, supply chain integration, analytical methods, project delivery |
| Topics: | Business Strategy, Research Practice, Stakeholder Management, Design Practice, Digital Applications, Human Resources, Organizational Design, Project Management, Engineering Principles, Quality Management, Supply Chain Management |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCT |
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