Abuelmaatti, A and Ahmed, V (2010) The potential of collaborative environments implementation in small and medium enterprises for the construction industry. In: Egbu, C (ed.) Proceedings of 26th Annual ARCOM Conference, 6-8 September 2010, Leeds, UK.
Abstract
Emerging technologies in the UK offer the construction industry many opportunities for computer supported collaborative environments to address some of the aspects that result in a complicated and complex construction process. However, the companies adopting these technologies usually fail in achieving the full benefits from their implementations. The use of collaboration technology remains low among 99% of companies in the UK construction industry usually referred to as Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs < 250 employees). The paper firstly reports results of a literature review on the benefits of collaborative environments and barriers to its implementation. Secondly, it summarize the results of case study providing the perspective of construction SMEs on the current success level and success criteria. While SMEs are key players in supporting large construction companies adopting collaborative environments, the paper reveals that there is lack in introducing collaborative environments to SMEs with regards to the management required in order to obtain the full benefits from their implementation. The paper then concludes with some insights into how construction SMEs can improve the implementation of collaborative environments and the necessity to developing an approach blending the right combination of factors which are believed to contribute towards the improvement and implementation of collaborative environments
| Item Type: | Conference Paper (Paper) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | collaborative environments; SME |
| Index terms: | success criteria, case study, literature review, construction company, construction process, emerging technology, collaboration, implementation, construction industry |
| Subjects: | organization, data collection methods, data analysis and analytics, contractual arrangements, innovation and technology management, management, industry analysis, assessment methods, building construction |
| Topics: | Digital Applications, Site Management, Organizational Design, Business Strategy, Research Practice, Project Management, Procurement |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
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