30 September 2003

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30 September 2003
PMI Seminar
Adoption and diffusion of ICT within Australian
construction organisations

• Presented by
• Professor Derek Walker and
• Vachara Peansupap
• RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia

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• This research is supported by Cooperative
  Research Centre in Construction Innovation, RMIT
  University, Melbourne, Australia
• This project is leaded by Prof. Derek H.T. Walker

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Overview of Research Study

• 117 respondents3 organisations Gov, Contractor,
  Consultant Engineer.
• 46 statement in a questionnaire
• Used Factor Analysis to find clusters of factors
  into consistent correlating groups
• Grouped these into logical groups of factors that
  would affect organisational strategy, M,I,T,E
• We have measures of strength of agreement with
  statementsimportance indicators
• Follow up studies on a groupware ICT application
  in construction PM environment
• Reveals interesting insights into COPs

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Framework of Research
Quantitative Research (survey)
Qualitative Research (case study)
Identify factors
Identify process
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Three main focuses

• Factors influencing ICT diffusion
• Process of ICT diffusion
• Social network or community of practice

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Example of Questions
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Factors influencing ICT diffusion
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The means value of eleven factors
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Strength of variables
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• The diffusion of three large Australian
  construction contractors case study result

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Intra-organisational factors
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The Conceptual Model of ICT Diffusion
Management Category
External ICT knowledge Construction knowledge
New Business/Process Practices
Individual Category
Technology Category
Organisational Adoption Decision of ICT
Environment Category
Basic IT skills, Capability to learn, Previous
experience
Knowledge and awareness
Professional Development (i.e. Training)
Initial use of ICT applications
M
I
Facilitating Structure
Actual use of ICT in work process
Problems
Technical Support (i.e. help desk)
Assist
Persuasion, Decision and Commitment
Technology Characteristics
Assist
Assist
Limited knowledge
ICT diffusion processes
Assist
T
Colleagues help and sharing environment
E
Improvement (M,I,T,E)
No
Fine Tuning/ Refining
Yes
Yes
Open discussion environment
No
Assist
Develop positive perception towards ICT
Develop negative emotions towards ICT
Confirmation and reutilization
ICT Diffusion
ICT Resistance
Communities of Practices
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Case Study A (CSA) COP
COP(2)
COP(5)
Office Project Manager (L2)
Office Project Manager (L2)
Office Engineer(L4)
IT people (L1)
COP(1)
Office Engineer (L3)
Office Engineer (L3)
COP(3)
Site Project Manager (L2)
Site Engineer (L3)
Office Project Manager (L2)
Site Engineer (L3)
Forman (L4)
COP(4)
Foreman (L4)
Office Engineer (L3)
Formal
Gatekeepers
Ad hoc
Combine
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Case Study B (CSB) COP
COP(1)
Site Engineer (L3)
Gatekeepers
COP(2)
Foreman (L4)
Implementer (L1)
Site Engineer (L3)
Office Project Manager (L2)
Site Engineer (L3)
Foreman (L4)
COP(2)
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Case Study C (CSC) COP
COP(1)
COP(3)
Site Engineer (L3)
Institution Network
Foreman (L4)
COP(2)
Implementer (L1)
Project Site Manager (L2)
Site Administrator (L3)
Gatekeepers
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The relationships of internal COPs
COP of institution
Senior IT manager
Senior construction or QA manager
COP of implementer or IT support
COP of project manager or engineer
Implementer and IT support
Project manager or engineer
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The relationships of external COPs
Professional Intuition memberships
Previous work colleagues and friends
COP of institution
Senior IT manager
Senior construction or QA manager
COP of implementer or IT support
COP of project manager or engineer
Implementer and IT support
Project manager or engineer
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Star Model of Change
1 - STRATEGY Process analysis, vision, goals and
objectives
2 - STRUCTURE Identification of teams, designof
organisational form,roles accountabilities
3 - PEOPLE Identification implementationof
skills and development needs
4 - PROCESSES Information distribution,
production, delivery etc
5 - REWARDS Align goals with rewards,motivations,
promotion prospects etc
Galbraith, J. (1995). Choosing an Effective
Design - Designing Organisations. San Francisco,
Jossey-Bass, p342.
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The effect of formal/informal organisation to
teams and COPs
Formal organisation
TEAM
COPs
TEAM
COPs
TEAM COPs
Informal organisation
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K-Advantage - Summary
Knowledge Advantage
ICT Enabling Infrastructure
Leadership
People Infrastructure
Envisioning
Vision Realisation
Social Capital
ProcessCapital
ICT h/w s/w Infrastructure
ICT System Support
Identifying stakeholder K-Value
Trust Commitment
Functioning Hardware
Knowledge Creation
Personal Assistance
Developing core Vision issues
Knowledge Sharing Transfer
Developing Vision options
Functioning Networks
Training Development
Knowledge Use Sense making
Articulating the Vision
Business Systems Rejuvenation
Functioning Software
Capacity Planning
Planning vision realisation
Reward Systems
Functioning Portals Interface
Archiving
Mobilising resources
Problem Solving, Experimentation Learning
Deploying the vision
Knowledge Sharing Processes
Maintaining the vision
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Thank you..