Impact of Online Collaboration Platform on the Construction Industry

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ABSTRACT

The development of online collaboration platform technologies for the construction industry have made drastic progress in recent years and are considered to be mainstream for the improvement in collaboration and flow of information. With the constant growth in the construction industry, collaboration has become a challenge between different individuals and stakeholders who are directly related to the efficiency and effectiveness of a certain project. This online collaboration has the ability to exponentially impact the project performance, efficiency and success. However, research in the past does not show reliable evidences that the online collaboration has been proven entirely beneficial for the construction industry and projects. Keeping these facts in mind, this study aims to investigate the impact of adopting online collaboration technology in complex processes such as; task allocation, time scheduling, coordination of the design and building process. The study will further explore the impact of online collaboration platform on time, cost and risk mitigation of the construction industry during a given project lifecycle. The study will further aim to discuss the reasons for adapting or resisting the use of the online collaboration technology on the construction industry. Lastly, the study will also explore the contribution of online collaboration on coordination among the multiple stakeholders who are participating in a project. To support this, secondary method has been selected as the method of the research.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACTii

INTRODUCTION1

Background1

The need of collaboration in construction industry2

Aims and Objectives2

Research Questions2

Relationship between proposal and past research5

METHODOLOGY5

Proposed Research Method5

Data Collection Method5

Data Analysis Method6

Conceptual Context7

Justification of research method7

Ethical considerations7

REFLECTIONS8

Potential Practical and Conceptual Obstacles8

CONCLUSION8

TIMETABLE9

Gantt chart9

REFERENCES11

INTRODUCTION

Background

As compared to other industries, there is a high level of fragmentation in construction industry. The main reason behind its fragmentation is because every process of construction industry is unique and cannot be merged into one. Usually what happens in a construction industry is that several companies collaborate and form a temporary multiorganization. This organization stays intact till that very project is completed. Once the project is completed, that temporary multi organization dissociates and becomes individual entities.

With the continuous growth in the construction industry, collaboration has become a challenge between different individuals and stakeholders who are directly related to the efficiency and effectiveness of a certain project (Elliman and Orange 2003, p.21; Ling 2003, p.642). Large construction and engineering projects typically involve a large number of stakeholders in an elaborate web of relationships, executing a complex sequence of tasks which need to be completed with pinpoint timing (Elliman and Orange 2003, p.21; Ling 2003, p.642). Sometimes this complicated network of teams operates across wide geographical area. Streamlined collaboration and cooperation are crucial to delivering these projects on-budget and on-schedule (“FMI Foundation”, 2004). Collaboration has been a centre of concern in different forms including; intra-supplier collaboration, demand-supply collaboration, and collaboration within single demand and supply side parties (Dooley and Purchase, 2004).

The need of collaboration in construction industry

This section discusses the need of the construction industry. Construction industry depends on information flow. According to Rojas and Songer (1999), ...