The role of information communication technology in ensuring efficiency in the construction industry in Uganda.

Abstract

Emerging Information and Communications Technology (ICT) introduces opportunities for improving communication to improve many construction processes at each project phase as well as creating new business opportunities. Thus, perceived ICT benefits have motivated numerous construction companies to adopt and invest in this technology; despite, the mentioned benefits, no previous investigation appears to have been done in this area in the construction industry in Uganda.

This research attempted to document, analyze ICT diffusion strategies and the role of ICT in ensuring efficiency for contractors in the construction industry. The study, therefore, endeavoured to assess how the use of ICT has increased the efficiency of contractors; understand how ICT has influenced tendering procedures and therefore resultant costs; assess how evolution of ICT has influenced contract administration, how contractors have marketed themselves by using ICT and the role of ICT in their various sites.

This research was limited to one type of ICT application on electronic documents management system (EDMS). It did not encompass forms like faxes, phones, and other forms, where data cannot be manipulated electronically.

The quantitative approach was adopted in this research through the use of questionnaires. The target group was the various contractors in the construction industry in Uganda.

The research established that there is no significant difference between ICT users in the construction industry with other developing countries. ICT usage is 98.6% overall among users as per UNABCEC register. Indigenous companies are not achieving the same marketing, efficiency and performance benefits through use of ICT unlike their non-indigenous counterparts. There is no significant difference between indigenous and non-indigenous companies in terms of barriers to ICT adoption at 95% confidence level. There is need to improve software applications in use in Uganda both in terms of off the shelf and in-house and an ICT uptake and implementation model is developed to enable that process.