Failure to capture knowledge or loss of knowledge acquired in a construction project represents an
unnecessary waste of assets.
This knowledge may still be present in the organization but may be immersed in documents which are not filed systematically or is no longer available because of personnel leaving the organization (Carillo, 2000).
Construction organizations are beginning to follow organizations in other industries to invest in knowledge management initiatives as knowledge is recognized as a powerful asset and an important competitive element in improving business performance (Robinson, 2001).
The construction industry is highly fragmented with specialized components each with their own objectives,
drivers, enablers, practices and procedures.
The efficient flow of information and knowledge is crucial at every stage of the project to ensure that the project achieves necessary coordination and effective communication between all its participants (Ahuja et al, 2007).
A great challenge for managers in construction project management is how to handle, store, organize and disseminate effectively all the information needed to design and build a major facility,
and it is believed that more efficient information management is a primary prerequisite for the construction industry to enhance its performance, productivity and perception (Becerik,2004).
The impact of out-dated, lost or conflicting information, causing delays, mistakes and expensive reworks on overall construction cost can be damaging to the financial position and reputation of a construction organization (Bjork, 2001).
The construction industry is becoming more complicated, dynamic and interactive and the need to speed up reflective decision-makings on time is fulfilled by utilizing construction information and knowledge which areamongst the most important resources contributing towards managerial decision-making (Tupenaite, 2008).
The objective of this study is to explore the current state of information management in the Malaysian construction industry.