Obonyo, E A (2004) Apron: Agent-based specification and procurement of construction products. EngD thesis, Loughborough University, UK.
Abstract
This thesis presents a study of the fragmented nature of activities involved in the specification and procurement of construction products. Existing Internet-based approaches have perpetuated fragmentation in this domain and this has resulted in a problem known as ‘digital anarchy.’ The thesis describes the design and development of an application based on the metaphor of software agents to address this problem. The thesis has validated the view that failures in the existing approaches have resulted in the ‘digital anarchy’ problem. Such approaches have failed to eradicate paper-based communication patterns and its related sequential work methods. The thesis has established the proof of concept of using agents for the management of distributed information in the selected domain. The work has also synthesised agent technology, XML and Web Services into a cohesive architecture, demonstrating that the ultimate solution to the ‘digital anarchy’ problem will emerge from a synergy of the various streams of research in Internet-related technologies. The work has established that there is significant scope for systematic improvement in the specification and procurement of construction products listed on the Internet based on the agent paradigm.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | construction products, communication, failure, fragmentation |
| Index terms: | design and development, paradigm, synergy, internet, specification, fragmentation, stream, construction product, agent |
| Subjects: | economic analysis, computing systems, practitioner, business, partnership management, design process, contractual condition, water management, education and knowledge transfer |
| Topics: | Sustainability, Business Strategy, Research Practice, Roles and Professions, Stakeholder Management, Design Practice, Digital Applications, Organizational Design, Contract Administration |
| 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