An empirical investigation of users' perceptions of web-based communication on a construction project

Information is the cornerstone of any business process. It is not surprising, therefore, for information technology (IT) to emerge as a key enabler that changes the way business is conducted. During the last decade or so, significant productivity improvements experienced by a wide range of industries have been associated with IT implementation. IT has provided these industries with great advantages in speed of operation, consistency of data generation, accessibility and exchange of information. This paper details an empirical investigation of users' perceptions of a web-based communication tool adopted on a large construction project. A questionnaire-based research approach was adopted for this purpose. The questionnaire aims to solicit user perceptions of web-based communication to highlight its role in enabling improved project information management and business relationships, compared to the prevailing business-as-usual level. (C) 2003 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.