Hill, C (2008) The use of computer mediated communication in construction project communication. In: Dainty, A (ed.) Proceedings of 24th Annual ARCOM Conference, 1-3 September 2008, Cardiff, UK.
Abstract
Communication between different parties in a construction project has always been vital, and also problematic. This paper describes the use of multiple media, including Computer Mediated Communication between two parties to a construction project. The usage, as described, shows how the technical affordances of the computer and other facilities have been appropriated by the participants to overcome practical problems. Further, the description includes an evaluation of the efficacy of the communication processes in achieving the given purpose of the process, as well as unexpected or supplementary outcomes, such as social networking. The technical advances of various facets are involved: cameras, mobile telephones, land line telephones, computers and the internet are all included in this process. These advances cannot be seen as being driven by the demand for new means of communication, but rather the technology has been adopted to achieve the shared goals of the participants. That these participants are geographically separated and economically and contractually distinct is merely a contextual variable which the communication processes are able to surmount. The report was prepared using participant observation methodology, with the author embedded within the company for an extended period.
| Item Type: | Conference Paper (Paper) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | affordance; appropriation; communication; computer mediated communication |
| Index terms: | observation, networking, computer-mediated communication, media, methodology, construction project, internet, affordance, land |
| Subjects: | sociology, behavioral psychology, research methods, communication studies, production management, real estate economics, communication, data collection methods, computing systems |
| Topics: | Information Management, Project Management, Research Practice, Digital Applications, Urban Studies, Design Practice |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTE |
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