Gilleard, J (1989) Computerized reference sources in the construction industry. Construction Management and Economics, 7(4), pp. 321-330. ISSN 01446193
Abstract
The 1980s have been described as the beginning of the information age, and justly so. Advances in microprocessor design, information storage systems and telecommunications have all combined to make access to accurate and up to date information a prerequisite for any successful business or research project. No longer is it necessary to laboriously scan printed abstracts, seeking out information via a limited indexof keywords, when today's communication networks allow an almost instantaneous access with a user-defined mix of search parameters. Correspondingly, this shift towards computer-based search procedures has resulted in many of the traditional scientific, business and professional abstracting services, that the construction industry has relied upon in the past, offering these bibliographic databases via commercial information retrieval systems. This paper reviews the range of information services that are currently available; discusses how they work and what equipment is required; examines the typical search features; comments on the estimated cost of using on-line search methods; and, finally, describes a typical on-line search session.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | bibliographic databases; computer-assisted searching; construction industry |
| Index terms: | information retrieval, construction industry, database, telecommunication, storage system, communication network |
| Subjects: | communication, industry analysis, management systems, networking, data management |
| Topics: | Research Practice, Information Management, Engineering Principles, Digital Applications |
| 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