State Of ICT Implementation And Managing Strategies Employed: Case Of UAE Construction Projects

Overview of UAE’s Construction Industry

What Is Information And Communication Technology (Ict)?

The UAE’s construction industry is perhaps the fastest growing and the most robust of all the industries in the country. Newer and bigger construction projects are underway and significant investments are being made in this sector. “The construction market in the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) is a key driver of the nation’s economy and is second only to Saudi Arabia within the GCC region.” (“Key sectors in science and technology”, 2018)

Success of construction industry as the key player in nation’s economy is dependent on conventionally established factors such as meeting cost, schedule, and performance targets. However, the need for communication and technology is the key here. Especially adopting new and up to date IC technologies will propel the construction sector forward in a big way.

Information and communication Technology (ICT) can be defined in several ways starting with ICT in general. “An umbrella term that includes any communication device or application, encompassing: radio, television, cellular phones, computer and network hardware and software, satellite systems and so on, as well as the various services and applications” (“United Arab Emirates – Construction | export.gov”, 2018).

“In simple terms, Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are the technologies used in the conveying, manipulation and storage of data by electronic means.” (“What is Information and Communication Technology”, 2018)

“In the construction industry the term is used both in relation to the ICT adopted by the project team to design, construct, operate and manage the development, and in relation to the inclusion of ICT in the completed development itself.” (“ICTs in everyday life”, 2018)

Examples of ICT use in construction would mean, AutoCAD, Electronic document management system, telecommunications, Video Conference, spreadsheets, Building Management System(BIM), Visual 4D Planning, GPS, Wireless network technology, Wearable technology, etc.

The below table shows the history of ICT starting from 1930’s until 1990’s containing some of the inventions made throughout that period of time.

Year	Innovation	Description
1930’s	the HP 200A Audio Oscillator	rapidly became a popular piece of test equipment for engineers
1940’s	Project Whirlwind	The team first built a large analog computer, but found it inaccurate and inflexible. After designers saw a demonstration of the ENIAC computer, they decided on building a digital computer.
EDVAC	programming Electronic storage of programming information and data eliminated the need for the clumsier methods of programming
1950’s	First commercial computer	Engineering Research Associates of built the ERA 1101, the first commercially produced computer
Core memory	Core memory made computers more reliable, faster, and easier to make.
First mass	Spinning at 12,500 rpm, the 650´s magnetic data-storage drum allowed much faster access to stored material than drum memory machines.
1960’s	First networked computers	IBM announced the System/360, a family of six mutually compatible computers and 40 peripherals that could work together.
BASIC programming language	BASIC was the forerunner for the advanced programming languages in use today.
First UNIX operating system	UNIX combined many of the timesharing and file management features offered by Multics, from which it took its name.
1970’s	First email sent	the first e-mail is sent by Ray Tomlinson of the research firm Bolt, Beranek and Newman
Microsoft	born in 1975, Bill Gates and Paul Allen form a partnership called Microsoft.  Like most start-ups, Microsoft begins small, but has a massive vision – a computer on every desktop and in every home.
Apple	Steve Wozniak designed the Apple I, a single-board computer
1980’s	First hard disk drive (HDD)	Seagate Technology created the first hard disk drive for microcomputers, the ST506. The disk held 5 megabytes of data, five times as much as a standard floppy disk, and fit in the space of a floppy disk drive.
MS-DOS	The MS-DOS (Microsoft Disk Operating System) basic software for the newly released IBM PC
Apple Macintosh	Apple Computer launched the Macintosh, the first successful mouse-driven computer with a graphical user interface Based on the Motorola 68000 microprocessor
1990’s	World Wide Web	The World Wide Web (www) was born when Tim Berners-Lee, a researcher at CERN, developed Hypertext Markup Language.
Windows 3.0	Microsoft shipped Windows 3.0 on May 22. Compatible with DOS programs, the first successful version of Windows finally offered good enough performance to satisfy PC users.
First Graphical Internet Browser	the Mosaic web browser is released. Mosaic was the first commercial software that allowed graphical access to content on the internet
Yahoo and Hotmail	Yahoo would quickly expand to become one of the Internet’s most popular search engines. Hotmail founded by Sabeer Bhatia and Jack Smith, is commercially launched on Independence Day in the United States, symbolically representing freedom from Internet service providers.
Windows 98	Microsoft released Windows 98.
Google	Google began in January 1996 as a research project by Larry Page and Sergey Brin when they were both PhD students at Stanford University in California.
2000	Playstation 2	Sony releases the Playstation 2
2003	iTunes Store	The iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, with over 200,000 items to purchase
2004	Facebook	Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook Inc.  Facebook was founded by Mark Zuckerberg with his college roommates and fellow computer science students Eduardo Saverin, Dustin Moskovitz and Chris Hughes.
2005	Youtube	YouTube was founded by Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim. The company announced that was receiving 100 million video views per day.
2007	First iPhone	The iPhone went on sale in the United States on June 29, 2007, at 6:00 pm local time, while hundreds of customers lined up outside the stores nationwide.
2009	Windows 7	Windows 7 was released on October 22, 2009, less than three years after the release of its predecessor, Windows Vista.

Table 1. 1 The History Of Ict (1930-1990), (“Free Ict Resources – New Content For Igcse 2016 Syllabus Coming”, 2018)

Year	Innovation	Description
2010	The arrival of 3D	3D television entered the marketplace this year and the technology to create your own 3D content wasn’t far behind. January saw Panasonic’s unveiling of the world’s first integrated twin-lens Full HD 3D camcorder, followed by the first 3D consumer camcorder. (noel-mckeegan, 2010)
2011	Nanorobotics	One of the most marked breakthroughs in 2011 was our control of nanorobotics, or nanobots. We now have the ability to control nanobots inside a living, breathing body, and using them to deliver highly-targeted medications — like cancer drugs — is now just a year or two away. (Sebastian Anthony, 2011)
2012	Solar Shingles	The first photovoltaic system that blends almost seamlessly into a home’s exterior, Unlike other solar panels. Wiring leads inside to the system’s inverter, and a Web-based monitoring system allows you to check the roof’s power production remotely. (By Rachel Z. Arndt, 2012)
2013	3-D printing and remote manufacturing	Three-dimensional printing allows the creation of solid structures from a digital computer file, potentially revolutionizing the economics of manufacturing if objects can be printed remotely in the home or office. The process involves layers of material being deposited on top of each other in to create free-standing structures from the bottom up. (David King, 2013)
2014	Body-adapted Wearable Electronics	The new generation of wearables is designed to adapt to the human body’s shape at the place of deployment. These wearables are typically tiny, packed with a wide range of sensors and a feedback system. These virtually invisible devices include earbuds that monitor heart rate. (Noubar Afeyan, 2014)
2015	Additive manufacturing	4D printing now promises to bring in a new generation of products that can alter themselves in response to environmental changes, such as heat and humidity. (Bernard Meyerson, 2015)
2016	The block chain	Much already has been made of the distributed electronic ledger behind the online currency Bitcoin. The economic and social impact of block chain’s potential to fundamentally change the way markets and governments work is only now emerging, (Oliver Cann, 2016) https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/08/5-hottest-emerging-technologies-in-2016/
2017	Internet of things	Sensors on roads and bridges monitor traffic patterns, detect accidents and diagnose structural weaknesses. Combined with engineered living materials, buildings of the future will be living, intelligent structures. (Julie Steding, 2017) https://www.soneticscorp.com/construction-tech-trends-2017/
Thermal imaging	Thermal imaging gives builders a non-intrusive means of locating moisture to pinpoint water leaks; identifying electrical hotspots, structural defects, plumbing clogs and HVAC issues; and diagnosing missing insulation, roofing issues and air leakage. (Julie Steding, 2017) https://www.soneticscorp.com/construction-tech-trends-2017/
Virtual reality design	The VR environment would improve safety and efficiency, allowing workers to determine which tools they will actually need to complete a project. (Julie Steding, 2017) https://www.soneticscorp.com/construction-tech-trends-2017/
Cloud computing	The “cloud” consists of storage and computing resources that your device (smartphone, tablet or PC) can only access via a network connection (wi-fi, cell service, Internet, etc.). (Sonetics, 2018) https://www.soneticscorp.com/construction-tech-trends-2017/

Table 1.2: Innovations And Descriptions Of Ict

With a view to the research done previously in this area in other countries by different researchers, it would be interesting to conduct a similar yet value added research exercise in the local setup especially as to the researcher’s best knowledge, there is the lack of sufficient research carried out in this sector in the UAE.  This study therefore, attempts to explore the current state of ICT uses and the challenges encountered in their implementation and to find appropriate strategies to overcome those challenges in the UAE. In addition, it looks at the ICT role in management such as human resource, suppliers, stake holders, investors, engineers, end user, engineering companies, etc.

Importance of ICT in Construction Industry

Technology used in construction field includes,

“Web-based biometric, cloud computing and cyber physical systems (WB), BIM based technologies (BB), ICT (not identified specifically in research), Video Conferencing (VC), Virtual Reality (VR), CAD and 3D CAD (C), Mobile computing, phones and wireless technology (MW), Information systems (I), Decision based (D), Knowledge and information management (K), Computer based learning and training (CBT), Tracking technologies including GIS, GPS, Optical recognition, Telematics and RFID (TT), Simulation and analysis (S) and another 7 other sets including, Access and XML, OLAP, SOA, Genetic Algorithms, IPD, UCD and IFC. The following is a discussion of the identified ICT T technologies.” (“Key sectors in science and technology”, 2018)

ICT has become an imperative in every walk of our lives. Lack of correct information at the crucial time will impede productivity, and result in waste of time thereby negatively impacting development of economy. In construction, this technology can be used to enhance the quality of work, it can lower the cost, and can save up a lot of time. According to Hoq & Chauhan (2011) “most firms in developed countries have increased and will increase further their investment in ICT, this has raised productivity within their construction industry and resulted in an increase in the quality and speed of work, financial controls, communications, and access to common data.”

Further on, Sergey Kalinichuk (2011), in his work states,

“Most modern construction projects take place over all-round, unified and capable to an exchange data model. It allows carrying out complex analyses at early stages of virtual design and construction. Further the model will include business intelligence, lean construction principles, green policies and whole lifecycle costing. Information and Communication Technologies in this case becomes the base for all innovative methods of design and construction and needed as much attention possible.”

Also, in this area, (“The Use of Information and Communication Technologies in Construction”, 2018) says,

“Over recent years, there has been a growing interest in the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) for improving the efficiency of the construction process. This is due to the fact that ICT, when appropriately used, can significantly contribute to the timely, economical, and successful deployment of construction projects. ICT research and industrial advancements have pointed toward several development directions such as Electronic Document Management Systems (EDMs), Web-based Project Management Systems (WPMS), Application Service Providers (ASP), E-work and E-business, Virtual Reality (VR) applications, mobile computing, and wireless communication.”

Defining ICT in Construction Industry

68 journals and articles reviewed by (“The Use of Information and Communication Technologies in Construction”, 2018) stresses the significance of ICT,

“An improvement in the information technology in construction (ITC) is a major international research endeavor in scientific institutions. There is a growing body of knowledge from researchers and policy makers from the developed and the developing countries regarding the unequivocal importance and role of ICT as a prime tool that has the potential to modernize societies, boost economy, and bridge huge barriers such as distance, equity, and time associated with the traditional World.” [6]

A significant body of research conducted in other countries such as Sweden, Australia, Nigeria, and Iran is available in this area. However, as pointed out earlier, there is insufficient body of research available with regards to the UAE construction industry with the exception of one carried out by (El-Saboni, Aouad & Sabouni, 2009) With the construction industry boom in the UAE which naturally feeds its economy, it becomes important that a further study be carried out in the UAE. This research study is particularly significant as it will elucidate:

• The current state of ICT applications uses in building construction in the UAE
• The challenges faced by building construction companies in the implementation of ICT applications
• Identifying development areas for increased productivity and work quality by using up to date ICT applications and tools
• Managing strategies to ensure effective information sharing and increased communication

This research study will attempt to identify the areas of improvement in the ICT implementation in building construction in the UAE and thereby addressing the problem areas by proposing workable strategies to overcome challenges and enhancing some important aspects such as, lower cost and time, better quality, optimized work environment, effective information sharing, better managing strategies, site control, safety insurance, etc.

Also, this study aims to explore all kinds of ICT benefits and its significance to the construction sector and management, focusing on the challenges that are encountered by the stakeholders in the life cycle of the project, proposing effective ways to ensure best implementation of ICT, and a breakdown of the uses and advantages of ICT. The researcher hopes that this study will show the importance of actual implementing of the new technology in ongoing and upcoming construction projects in the UAE.

In order to obtain the answers for our research questions and to test the study hypotheses, we will develop a survey questionnaire to be distributed to a sample from a selected population in the construction sector in the UAE.

In spite of the advancement in the ICT in all areas of businesses in the UAE, specially in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, quite a few number of small sized construction businesses in the UAE, do not fully employ up to date ICT tools and applications due to a number of issues such as shortage of expertise needed in construction related ICT, budget constraints, management’s lack of appreciation of ICT, security and privacy issues.

Examples of ICT Use in Construction

Over recent years, a considerable amount of research has been carried out on the subject of ICT implementation in building construction sector around the world. These studies have investigated the benefits, challenges and barriers of using technology in the construction industry. Furthermore, some of these studies have presented strategies on how to effectively manage and implement ICT in the construction sector.

What we know about ICT implementation in construction sector is largely based on research done in countries such as Sweden, Czech Republic, Nigeria.  There is only one such research available on the same subject in the context of the UAE conducted by (El-Saboni, Aouad & Sabouni, 2009). An examination of the available literature indicates that the research done so far ascertains positive impact of using ICT in construction sector; however, the construction companies especially the low-end construction companies are unable or oblivious of effectively exploiting the potential of ICT to their advantage.

Technology is developing at a rapid speed, with new innovations flooding market every day. As with any other sector, in construction industry as well, it becomes imperative to maintain efficient data sharing and analysis to optimize productivity using new cutting-edge ICTs. There is no doubt that ICT has a massive use in the construction industry with the focus on cost, time, and quality. In their review of 68 studies, Ehab J.Adwan and Ali Al-Soufi (November 2016), point out, “importance and role of ICT as a prime tool that has the potential to modernize societies, boost economy, and bridge huge barriers such as distance, equity, and time associated with the traditional World.”

According to Khatija Haque, head of MENA Research at Emirates NBD, construction industry is expected to be the “key driver” of the economy due to approaching Expo 2020. (Parag Deulgaonkar, 2017)

One of the main ICT uses may be, the connection between the managers, owners and the actual work progress at site using for instance, emails, video conference, CCTV, and other engineering specific software such as AutoCAD and (Kalinichuk, 2011) in his study highlights the following,

“the main destination of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is providing construction stakeholders with information and analytical tools for the best control of the construction delivery processes. ICT include computer hardware, software, and communications devices which give access and allow communicating easily at local and international level.”

Furthermore, (Kalinichuk, 2011) draws our attention to the importance of ICT in construction in that, “ICT creates the big integration into construction industry. The big advantage can be received with development of corresponding ICT solutions. Building Information Modeling (BIM) or Green Design can be one of the examples.”

History of ICT: Inventions from 1930’s to 1990’s

There is no doubt that innovative ICT tools and applications enhance quality of work and minimizes cost and time related risk which are so common in the construction industry. In his work in 2007, A.P. Chassiakos discusses examples of these various tools and application in construction such as:

• Electronic Document Management Systems:
• Web-based Project Management systems:
• Application Service Providers
• Virtual Reality applications
• Mobile computing and wireless communication

Appropriate utilization of ICT applications contributes to the economical, and successful completion of construction projects (“The Use of Information and Communication Technologies in Construction”, 2018). Unless the construction industry stakeholders envision the obvious benefits of thorough exploitation of ICT applications, companies will lag behind in the competitive construction environment.

The potential benefits of using ICT technologies in construction industry are numerous. New and upcoming ICT applications not only make communication, work place collaboration, marketing strategies, data and information exchange and knowledge management easier, they also ensure improved network security by protecting personal and shared data and vast amount of information of clients existing on network. Furthermore, implementing secure IT infrastructure in a construction industry will guarantee company data protection from unauthorized access. This in turn has a positive impact on the reputation and image of the company in the highly competitive construction sector.

Effective implementation of ICT applications can provide construction sector with strategic benefits which can definitely influence their productivity. However, there are several factors that can prevent construction sector from using ICT in their industry. The literature review discusses these factors and barriers to ICT adoption in construction sector: inappropriate ICT applications for the type of business, inadequate ICT skills set or competence within the construction companies, lack of standardized ICT-related applications, budget issues, and issues with access to ICT.

Studies carried out in the Australian construction industry by, Hua (2007) and Sarshar & Iskidag (2004), stated that small and medium-sized enterprises (SME’s) have lower rate of ICT awareness, competency, and the potential benefits for using ICT to achieve strategic goals. SME’s tend to use traditional methods in construction projects “because of high risk of innovative solutions, technology changes rapidly, high training investments, lack of standardization in the industry and low investment margins which leave no room for innovation” (Andresen et al., 2000).

There are a number of risks associated with the adoption of ICT solutions in the construction industry. As pointed out by Carayanni  & Campbell (2006),  

“The main challenge is the rapid pace of change, which makes it difficult to predict the need for new improvements. …… Another unknown factor is the need and cost of highly skilled employees to keep complex ICT systems running.

Emerging Technologies in Construction Industry

ICT solutions are often given a back seat if the construction companies are not successful enough. They use the traditional work methods and are cautious of investing in new technologies. (Virgo Sulakatko, 2016)

According to M. Reza Hosseini et all, “the major obstacle seems to be the lack of appreciation of managers regarding the new available technologies and the benefits they would bring about for the construction organizations.” (Hosseini et al., 2013)

Similarly, investigation conducted by Zou and Seo agrees with the afore mentioned findings in that the major barriers in implementing ICT “in the construction sector lie with the reluctance or inability of the subcontractors/suppliers to adopt the technologies and lack of in-house technical expertise as well as lack of integrated information management systems.” (Zou and Seo, 2006)

Tucker and Mohamed (1996) identified the following barriers to IT implementation:

– Reluctance: Due to senior managers who, through the lack of system knowledge/understanding and being convinced of the immediate gains that could be achieved from IT applications.

–  Resources: Both financial and personnel, with organizations under heavy competition, reluctant to invest in technology and unable to provide time to change operations and train staff.

–  Training: Lack of time for training and changing operations is taken into account when considering IT implementation.

–  Change: Any changes to work processes are disruptive to productivity, especially during the introduction phase of and more so if the introduction is not known in advance.

–  Tradition: People, no matter how dedicated to the new tools, usually have a tendency towards doing things the way they are used to.

From the review of the available literature, the main obstacles for ICT adoption by the construction sector are:

• the reluctance of the construction industry to adapt to up-to-date ways of operation
• the high investment costs
• the lack of computer-skilled staff in the field of construction industry
• E-commerce technologies have not been adopted widely in the construction supply chain
• limited availability of ICT tools due to technological and financial constraints (“The Use of Information and Communication Technologies in Construction”, 2018).

With regards to the UAE, El-Saboni et al. (2009) investigated the use of modern electronic communication management systems, and how these systems affect the success of construction projects in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In their study, El-Saboni et al. state that “UAE construction industry, despite being successful in using web technology to achieve their objectives, has failed to utilize it to cut cross organizational boundaries and also to integrate the supply chain. In other words, it has not been able to ‘‘defragment” the industry inter-organizational relations. (Al Saboni, 2009)

In the era of information technology, it is unimaginable that huge construction ventures can handle the vast flow of information efficiently without using ICT. It is argued though, that construction companies do not utilize the full potential of ICT applications as a driving force to speed up the process of constructional operations. Statistics also show that low-end construction companies do not invest in advanced ICT as heavily as larger companies.  It has to be noted that SME’s have limited resources to modernize their ICT capabilities, therefore, they choose less expensive and generic technologies, which are not tailored to their specific needs (Hua, 2007). “This way of thinking doesn’t provide the highest potential. Competitive advantage can come from adapting ICT solutions in the first line” (Peansupap & Walker, 2004).

ICT is evolving and growing every day in all parts of our lives. Understanding the importance of new technologies and its implementation in today’s world, using the right strategies in an effective manner will allow the UAE to reach the best optimized solutions construction industry should aim to seek.

There are several driving forces behind the implementation of ICTs within construction industry as Hosseini, M.R., Chileshe, N., Zuo, J. and Baroudi, B. (2012) stated in their journal “Productivity, Globalization, and Idiosyncrasies of construction industry”. Those key drivers emphasize the need to implement ICT using the right strategies and tools.

On the same topic, Vanita Ahuja, Jay Yang, Ravi Shankar (2009) mentioned the following industrial drivers,

“Increased requirement of clients for more project information resulting in increased use of ICT, increased requirement of adoption of ICT by larger organizations when SMEs execute projects as subcontracting agencies of larger organizations, increased involvement of geographically separated agencies and information centers in a Project, increased construction activity in the country, education of upcoming construction students towards ICT, widespread availability of IT tools and technologies in the country, increased involvement of multiple agencies in construction projects, dynamic changes in information requirement during project execution, increased competition with overseas construction.”

The advantages and uses of ICT in the construction industry have been well established, but different researches have approached different kinds of strategies in managing and implementing ICT in construction. In their research, Hosseini, M.R., Chileshe, N., Zuo, J. and Baroudi, B. (2012) suggested the following,

“before starting the procurement, one of the most significant aspirations in construction in recent years has been the desire to build a building in a virtual environment before commencing the process of the construction and even before starting the procurement process, thus enabling the constructability of a project to be tested.”

This method allowed the contractors to save a significant cost in a very efficient way with the best solutions. Using Virtual prototyping (VP) will help construction companies do away with the need for physical models. VP uses simulation process at every stage of the design – the testing, evaluation and modification of design from its conception to final product. It will also help identify risks and address those risks thereby boost economic competiveness. Yet another method is nD modelling, an extension of the building information model (BIM). It contains information about the construction, management, operations and maintenance of a building at each stage of the construction project. This model generates information, plans, section, elevations, and schedules automatically. Any changes made at any stage of the construction will be reflected automatically in the drawings as all the information and documents are derived from the same database. This also ensures coordination and accuracy in documents and information. (Hosseini, et all, 2012)

Further to this, Hosseini et all suggest,

“that one of the most advantageous possible approaches to adopting ICT into construction industry would be to enhance the communication management and the transfer of information amongst different organizations, different stakeholders, different actors in the project, different teams, and even among the team members inside an organization”.

In the figure below, Arjen Adriaanse, Hans Voordijk, and Geert Dewulf (2010), have developed a model of mechanisms that influence the use of ICT across organizational margins in construction projects.

A case study conducted by Vachara Peansupap and Derek H. T. Walker, (2004) listed some of the strategies, “there are two strategies for adopting web-based project management. These strategic adoptions are an in-house development and outsourcing depending upon the level of internal systems and resources that support the main organizational functions.”

“There is a direct relationship between the characteristics of ICT and its strategic adoption. In general, when construction organizations seek to gain a competitive advantage from early ICT adoption, they tend to choose a proactive strategy. By using this strategy, organizations are required to commit to investing in developing their own ICT application because during this early period, off-the-shelf ICT product may provide fewer functions than the organization needs. However, a proactive ICT adoption strategy may be difficult to be successful and requires many resources to provide internal and external staff. In addition to the development of an ICT extranet application to be functioning, the readiness of other construction project participants is required.” (Vachara Peansupap and Derek H. T. Walker, 2004)

Different companies and managers use different strategies, for example, small companies tend to use some of ICT, whereas large companies use cutting -edge ICT tools and invest huge amounts in ICT. The reason here might be that small companies don’t have time to start dealing with new technologies because this will take up time and money which usually small companies do not have and are barely able to cope with the existing expenses especially in the cases where profits are not high. This is considered to be a barrier for SME’s. Furthermore, some managers are wary of using new technologies. One of the reasons in the personal perspective would be that those managers are used to the old-fashioned way of working, they like to work in the set ways and would prefer to avert risks related with change. This gives them false sense of security. Unfortunately, this creates a strong draw back to the team and the company itself, resulting in increased costs and time, less quality, and unsatisfied clients and not to mention lagging far behind in this competitive industry.

In the UAE, there is a massive interest in ICT,

 “The UAE is very keen on developing her capabilities in the field of information and communication technology and is continuously undertaking measures to achieve that. The UAE Government is very eager to use ICT tools to not only deliver services in quick and easy manner but also to provide customized services in the future.” (the Official Portal of the UAE Government, 2017)

In view of the above, it would seem imperative that the construction sector in the UAE follow the vision of the nation and take proactive steps in implementing innovative ICT tools and applications and thereby making substantial contribution to the economy of UAE.

This research aims to address the gap in investigation in this area within the UAE context.

This chapter presents the details about the research instrument and materials, procedures of the study and its implementation, the research design and method, the study sample and the data collection method.

This thesis investigates the challenges, barriers, and the managing strategies that can be implemented in the use of ICT in the UAE construction sector. To our best knowledge, there is no significant research done in the UAE related to the use, importance, challenges, barriers and managing strategies in the construction sector. This gap will be addressed in this research study as ICT is extremely important in any industry, especially in the UAE being a technologically rapidly growing country where the significance of ICT has become a must on all scales. Researchers from various countries have explored the use of ICT in the construction industry in a global perspective. Drawing from the available body of research, this research study will attempt similar research exercise as UAE being our case study, discussing:

• whether all construction companies are using ICT in their daily operations and communication,
• to what extent is ICT being used as a whole,
• and to what extent are the concerned parties aware of the importance of ICT in the construction sector in UAE?

Recalling that the main research question is investigating the state and the level of ICT implementation and the types of managing strategies employed in the UAE construction sector, the following aims are concluded:

• How is the use of ICT applications impacting the construction sector in the UAE?
• What are the various ICT application used by various construction companies in the UAE?
• The level and mode of acquired literacy by construction engineers.
• The availability and use of computers, applications and communication systems  
• Are ICT applications being fully employed in the construction sector in the UAE?
• What level of expertise of the cutting-edge ICT related to the construction industry is available in the UAE?
• What are the factors affecting the adoption and use of ICT?
• What is the perceived influence of ICT on reducing project delays?

There is a significant impact of factors (computer literacy, company experience, size of the company, firm sector – private vs. public sector) on the use of ICT

There is a significant difference in the ranking of possible obstacle as compared to other studies

Ranking the benefits of ICT is significantly different from other studies

ICT is the key player in increasing the progression and productivity of construction sector in the UAE.

A limited Work force and management fully exploit the potential of ICT in construction projects/sites.

Implementation of ICT tools and up to date applications are limited to high end and high budget construction projects/sector in the UAE.

For the purpose of this research, we will be designing a survey allowing to test the above hypotheses. A survey questionnaire will have a number of items necessary to be able to test the hypothesis correctly.  The questionnaire will be distributed among a sample of junior engineers, site engineers, project managers, managing directors, as well as the IT personnel in the company.

The respondent should come from small, mid and large construction companies in the UAE to test the variability of ICT use, barriers, type of applications, tools and implementation level. We will be using the Convenience Non-probability sampling in addition to using the internet sampling as well. We will be using Survey Monkey, a trusted online medium allowing to survey targeted respondents electronically, in our case, site construction engineers, junior engineers, project managers, managing directors, etc.

References

(American Journal Of Scientific And Industrial Research

(Julie Steding, 2017) https://www.soneticscorp.com/construction-tech-trends-2017/

(Peansupap & Walker / INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT) Implementation Constraints: A Construction Industry Perspective (2004).

International Journal of Managing Information Technology (IJMIT) Vol.8, No.3/4, November 2016, A REVIEW OF ICT TECHNOLOGY IN CONSTRUCTION, Ehab J. Adwan and Ali Al-Soufi Department of Information Systems, University of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bahrain

https://www.scihub.org/AJSIR/PDF/2011/3/AJSIR-2-3-461-468.pdf  (accessed 30 Oct. 17)

Information and Communication Technology in Construction Industry
Author: Eng. arch. Sergey Kalinichuk; Department: Economics and Management in Civil Engineering CTU in Prague

A.P. Chassiakos, “The Use of Information and Communication Technologies in Construction”, in B.H.V. Topping, (Editor), “Civil Engineering Computations: Tools and Techniques”, Saxe-Coburg Publications, Stirlingshire, UK, Chapter 5, pp 79-104, 2007. doi:10.4203/csets.16.5

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