Empirical Study on Implications of Mobile ICT Use for Construction Project Management

Although many construction organizations have recently adopted mobile information and communication technologies (ICT) such as smartphones and tablets to support project management activities, it has not been clear what drives the adoption of mobile ICT and what kinds of real benefits are provided by the use of mobile ICT in the context of construction project management. Against this background, the present study aims to empirically investigate the main consequences of the use of mobile ICT in construction project management and how the use of mobile ICT can ultimately affect construction productivity. An exploratory factor analysis based on survey data collected from 101 construction management professionals (CMPs) in Australia's construction industry identified five factors, namely, improved communication and work relationship, distraction and waste of time, better information management on-site, better management of construction defects, and improved work planning, as the most important consequences of their use of mobile ICT. An ordinal regression analysis based on the extracted factors revealed that the use of mobile ICT can influence construction productivity through improved communication and work relationship, distraction and waste of time, and better management of construction defects. In addition, this research revealed that the extent of usage of mobile ICT is related to three factors: better information management on-site, better management of construction defects, and improved work planning. These empirical results explain the benefits and risks of current mobile ICT in the context of construction project management and can also inform construction organizations regarding how to utilize mobile ICT effectively in their projects.