Marsh, L and Finch, E (1998) Attitudes towards auto-ID technologies within the UK construction industry. Construction Management and Economics, 16(4), pp. 383-388. ISSN 01446193
Abstract
Automatic identification (auto-ID) technologies such as bar coding have become widespread within manufacturing, medicine and retailing. Bar coding has also attracted many applications within the US construction industry, providing tangible cost savings through improved speed and accuracy of data entry. However, over the past decade the rate of adoption of auto-ID among UK construction firms has been significantly lower than the US. This paper presents the findings of a UK survey of construction organizations, designed to ascertain key factors which attract firms to use auto-ID, the barriers which have prevented some from doing so, and future developments which are perceived as important in encouraging more widespread adoption of the technology within the UK construction supply chain. Key issues identified include a low level of awareness of auto-ID technologies and the absence of appropriate industry standards. Recommendations include the establishment of a standards body and educational initiatives to promote auto-ID solutions.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | auto-id; bar coding; barriers; standards |
| Index terms: | auto-id, survey, accuracy, construction firm, cost saving, medicine, construction industry, construction supply chain, construction organization, low level |
| Subjects: | digital technology, construction logistics, data collection methods, organization, industry analysis, measurement and scaling, professional development, medical science and clinical practice, economics |
| Topics: | Supply Chain Management, Digital Applications, Information Management, Research Practice, Health and Safety, Cost Management, Business Strategy |
| 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