Economic, social and cultural impediments and drivers for the adoption of e-business innovations within the industrial structure of the construction sector

Abstract

The importance of the influence of economic, social and cultural characteristics underpinned by the unique supply chain industrial structure of the construction sector for the diffusion of e-business technologies in the construction industry is investigated. This is reported on through a detailed analysis of twelve firm case studies in a supply cluster around a state government agency responsible for development and implementation of eBusiness policy and infrastructure procurement. A theoretical model was developed which relies upon understanding the core upstream and downstream relationships which firms locate themselves within which are codependent with their market economic structure and firm and individual behaviour. Five key impediments and five key drivers were identified in this study which account for and are hierarchically subordinate to inconsistent adoption patterns and perceptions of advantage. Within these primary impediments and drivers over thirty interrelated secondary drivers and impediments were identified and these interrelationships are described. It is the complex inter-relationships between and across the primary and secondary impediments and drivers and the strong influence that the supply chain industrial structure plays in many of these relationships that is the major contribution of this research. The study forms part of a national project which involves three major supply clusters around a large client which are contributing to the development of an adoption profile. The profile is dependent upon defining the firms and market and structural behavioural characteristics and the trigger points for impediments becoming drivers. The outcome of the research are recommendations aimed at government agencies' and industry market leaders' policy, process and practice towards creating sustainable eBusiness environments of the future and the impact is the response by these organisations to the pathways to adoption strategies