Project planning and control systems: An investigation into their application and implications of usage in the UK construction industry

Research on information technology, compared to other areas, has been fragmented and limited in scope. One reason for this is the recentness of the new technology, in particular microtechnology, and the ubiquitous microcomputer. What distinguishes information technology from other technologies is the unprecedented improvement in performance and reliability, compounded with decreasing costs. These issues make it impossible to ignore information technology or the implications of its use for industry and its impact on society in general. This study focuses on the application of (project management) information systems in the UK construction industry. While construction is considered to play a significant role in determining a nation's economic well-being, the industry is also seen to be a technological laggard with a distinct preference for tried and proven methods. It is therefore not surprising that surveys on computer usage in the industry have generally indicated inadequate practices. And yet it has sometimes adopted radical techniques of organising work in the form of project management, or more specifically in planning and controlling. The research examines a number of issues associated with the contradictory nature of the phenomenon. Reasons for the poor usage of planning and control systems are explored. The technology itself, in the form of computerised planning and control systems, is reviewed to obtain a better view of how it functions. Next, an attempt is made to identify market and internal forces in the form of environmental, organisational and user parameters that drive the need for implementing these systems. Also included is an assessment of possible implications when such technology is used. Both qualitative and quantitative techniques have been employed. Semi-structured interviews were held with 16 organisations to establish their perceptions of these systems and the manner in which they were applied. Numerical responses were elicited from both users and non-users, through a questionnaire, on two subjects: (a) causal relationships for ineffectual or lack of usage of these systems, and (b) the effects of using these systems on the organisation, individual and the environment. Finally, findings from both techniques are used to construct a more realistic picture of how the construction industry is coping with planning and control systems and whether they can make better use of them.