ABSTRACT
After reading this chapter you should have an understanding of ways and means of exploiting ICT to improve and develop innovative construction processes. You should be able to:
■■ understand the economic significance, structure and peculiarities of the construction industry
environments ■■ evaluate the implication of various drivers and barriers to ICT adoption
23.1 INTRODUCTION
Information communication technology (ICT) is an integral part of most businesses and professional services. Today, use of computers, mobile phones, tablets and phablets, and a plethora of such devices, is commonplace. The construction industry is notorious in under-utilisation and being backward in the use of ICT. It was famously pronounced that the construction industry have cost structures that are inflated and recently the government in the UK is taking steps towards reducing construction costs by 30 per cent. This is an ambitious target considering the complexities of the industry and its unique nature of production. One important way in which this could be achieved is improving efficiency in construction processes through innovation. Adoption of ICT is one of the main ways in which process innovation could be achieved. It could help streamline processes, eliminating redundant activities and utilising computing power, enabling technologies and management techniques to derive innovative processes through ICT adoption.
