In contemporary research on construction-related ICT (information communication technologies), little distinction is made between the use of ICT in permanent line organizations and its use in temporary organizations (for example, in building and construction projects). This paper makes that distinction. The aim is to understand how the interplay among contextual elements, actors' frames of reference, and the ICT itself, influences the adoption and use of ICT in a building and construction project. This will be done through a description and analysis of a case study of ICT use in a major Swedish construction company. It is concluded that the well-defined duration of the temporary organization (the construction project) stands in sharp contrast to the generally indefinite duration of ICT-mediated change processes. However, by analysing the ICT application to be implemented, it can be revealed whether it can be 'ready packed' for, or delimited to, certain processes in order to achieve immediate benefits. When implementing more encompassing ICT applications, the challange for the company is to find alternative ways of implementation in the project-based organization and of creating alternative spaces for innovation and renewal where new ICT can be tested and experimented with.
The use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in construction companies has been growing steadily during the last decade. However, few studies inquire into either perceptions of the impact of actual ICT use or perceptions among different occupational groups in construction companies. The aim of the paper is to explore users’ general perceptions of ICT impacts in the post-adoption stage and analyse the implications for construction management practice. A mixed methods approach was used. Quantitative data were collected using a web-based survey both in a major construction company and among medium-sized companies in Sweden. Data from 294 returned completed questionnaires were analysed with t-tests and multiple regression analysis. In addition, participant observations and semi-structured interviews were conducted within the major construction company in order to strengthen the analysis. It can be concluded that respondents are generally fairly satisfied with the ICT. Differences in perceptions among occupational groups can be explained by the nature of work tasks and the original intentions for using ICT as a means of control and calculation. Even if respondents perceive that a further development of ICT could improve competitiveness, they do not want to increase their use of it in their workplaces. They basically think that ‘it is fine, just as it is’. This indicates that a challenge in construction management is to investigate how prevailing and new ICT applications can be used to develop the industry.
The outcome of the so-called Laval case and related judgments of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has led to a debate about the future of the European social model. Although several analyses have focused on the downside of the judgments, in particular on the risk of ‘wage dumping’, one important but overlooked aspect is the connection to tendering regimes. This lacuna is crucial to labour recruitment practices in the construction industry because of the important role of public authorities as buyers of large construction services within the European Union. The research question is whether rigidity in how public authorities are required to tender contracts strengthens downward pressure on wages and induces a deterioration in working conditions. Case study material from Sweden is used in the context of extensive previous research and preliminary findings from an ongoing research project. Because of the short time span since the rulings of the ECJ there is only anecdotal evidence for establishing a mutually reinforcing connection between the system for awarding tenders in Swedish construction and the wider impacts of Laval on the labour market. Nevertheless, new evidence suggests that labour recruitment and human resource management practices are being shaped by a tendering regime governed by requirements of ‘cost flexibility’.