Magub, A T (2006) Experiences of the phenomenon of internet use for information sharing on construction projects and skills set identification for effective project participation. PhD thesis, Queensland University of Technology, Australia.
Abstract
The use of Information Technology in construction is below best practice when compared to other industries. The construction industry is now, however, on the verge of widespread acceptance of internet technology and the communications benefits this can bring. Construction collaboration technology, where project teams use the internet as an interface for project communications, have emerged as a potentially valuable tool. Little research has been focused in this area, particularly on how this phenomenon is being experienced. The aim of this research is to develop a better understanding of the way people experience the use of the internet for information sharing on construction projects and the preliminary identification of the skills set (Knowledge, Skills and Abilities - KSAs) required for industry members to effectively participate. Phenomenography was selected as an appropriate research methodology to provide an empirical, representative and descriptive research approach and to provide a qualitative based study in a field dominated by quantitative studies. This is a 'second-order approach' which focuses on the experiences of the participants as described by them. A pilot and three major case studies were selected to identify research participants for interviews. A total of nineteen interviews were conducted and transcribed during 2003 in Australia, the United States of America and the United Kingdom, which formed the research data. A phenomenographic analysis was performed on the research data revealing seven 'categories of description' which describe the limited number of qualitatively different ways that the phenomenon is being experienced. A relationship exists between the different categories which can be structured in a logical framework called the outcome space. The preliminary identification of the skills set is then proposed from the research data and the phenomenographic outcomes to provide construction project participants and the industry a first pass on what Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs) may be required for effective participation.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | project team; skills; construction project; best practice; collaboration; communication; information technology; participation; Australia; United Kingdom; United States; case studies; interview; phenomenography |
| Index terms: | United Kingdom, phenomenography, project communication, United States, interview, information technology, collaboration, construction project, Australia, case study, United States of America, project team, construction industry, internet, information sharing, research methodology, best practice |
| Subjects: | data exchange, management, professional development, Geography, production management, qualitative and interpretive research, industry analysis, research design and methodology, business, data collection methods, computing systems, project delivery |
| Topics: | Digital Applications, Organizational Design, Research Practice, Information Management, Business Strategy, Project Management, Geographical Context |
| 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