successful implementation of such tools difficult to be
planned for and managed. Moreover, the implementation
of web-based tools have been hampered by the
reluctance of participants to practice comprehensive
sharing of knowledge and the absence of clear assessments
of the business models which are most suited to
the adaptation and adoption of web-enabled Project
Management software.
Many web-based developments have been led by
end-user products, which have been divorced from the
true integration with business processes. This lack of a
strategically driven implementation approach has
resulted in resource wastage and unrewarding investment.
Few years ago, the construction industry in the
UK has realised the potential of the Internet and its
applications, in particular e-commerce, and was ready
to embrace this technology through the development of
web-based systems. However, the level of implementation
and penetration of such technology was not as
expected. In January 2001, the building magazine has
published a report on the failure of e-commerce to meet
the expectation of the industry despite the many
attempts made by larger organisations to set up sophisticated
systems to improve their businesses. Large
systems were brought to halt because they did not meet
their objectives. The outcome of this paper coincides
with all the research outcomes in this field, which
shows that technology push is not the only critical
success factor for effective implementation of technology.
All the attempts were technology-driven and the
quality of the process was not fully addressed. It is
much more difficult to address the latter across the
supply chain because of the different practices used in
different organisations and the extra complexity dimension,
which is added by the type and level of incompatible
computer systems used by these organisations.
In order for the construction industry to successfully
embrace web-enabled project management tools,
at a large scale, it must equally consider technology,
process, people and knowledge management. The
efficiency of current processes must be carefully
addressed and re-engineered to take advantage of the
latest advances in technology. The industry should
work towards minimum common standards to facilitate
the flow of information across the supply chain.
Such standards will add significant value up the chain
by allowing exchanged information to be fully integrated
with business processes. People must have the