Status and Barriers Impeding Utilization of Project Management Tools: Epidemic for Tripartite Construction Parties in Malaysia
Abstract
Project management tools have been widely used in construction project life cycles to monitor progress, evaluate payments/claims, and manage construction works worldwide. Despite their capability in helping project managers to achieve specific objectives within time, budget, and standards, not every construction organization in Malaysia would fully utilize these tools due to several challenges. As numerous studies substantiate the importance and of project management tools, lackluster adoption rates have led to productivity problems, project delays, and maturity problems at both project and enterprise levels in the construction industry. This study investigates the level of implementation and addresses the significant barriers that impede the utilization of project management tools. A survey was administered to well-known construction companies in Malaysia. This study revealed that the implementation level was discouragingly low, and the top 5 barriers were: (1) financial considerations, (2) restrictions on human capital, (3) high annual turnover, (4) lack of technology awareness, and (5) organizational culture. These findings suggest that the Malaysian construction industry should: overhaul financial and human resource limitations, increase assistance for users, and boost the partial implementation of basic techniques of project management to the maximum extent possible. The practitioners can understand the dynamics and causes of predicaments to the full implementation of project management tools in their respective companies. As for academicians, these findings help theoretical development and literature arguments on our current construction industry as a whole and optimistically help finds ways to make the Malaysian construction industry more efficient.
Keywords: barriers, project management tools, Malaysian construction industry
References
[1] Abdul Kareem, H. I., & Abu Bakar, A. H. (2011). Identifying IT Benefits for Malaysian construction companies. Journal of Information Technology in Construction, 16(2011), 477-492.
[2] Adriaanse, A., Voordijk, H., & Dewul, G. (2010). The use of interorganisational ICT in United States construction projects. Automation in Construction, 19(1), 73-83.
[3] Ahuja, V., Yang, J., & Shankar, R. (2009). Study of ICT Adoption for Building Project Management in the Indian Construction Industry. Automation in Construction, 18(4), 415-423.
[4] Alaghbandrad, A., Nobakht, M. B., Hosseinalipour, M., & Asnaashari, E. (2011). ICT Adoption In The Iranian Construction Industry: Barriers And Opportunities. Paper presented at the The 28th International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction, IAARC
[5] Aouad, G., Kagioglou, M., Hinks, R., & Sexton, M. (1999). Technology Management of IT in Construction: A Driver or an Enabler? Journal of Logistics Information Management, 12(½), 130-137.
[6] Beatty, R., Shim, J. P., & Jones, M. C. (2001). Factors Influencing Corporate Web Site Adoption: A Time-Based Assessment. Information and Management, 38(6), 337– 354.
[7] Besner, C., & Hobbs, B. (2004). An empirical investigation of project management practice: In reality what tools do practitioners use? In D. P. Slevin, D. I. Cleland, & J. K. Pinto (Eds.), Innovations: Project Management Research (pp. 337-351). Newton Square: Project Management Institute.
[8] Brown, A. (2002). Organisational Culture. London: Pitman Publishing.
[9] Devaraj, S., & Kohli, R. (2003). Performance Impacts of Information Technology: Is Actual Usage the missing link. Management Science, 49(3), 273-289.
[10] Doms, M., Dunne, T., & Troske, K. (1997). Workers, wages and technology. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 112(1), 253–290.
[11] Froese, T. M. (2010). The impact of emerging information technology on project management for construction. Automation in Construction, 19(5), 531-538. doi: http: //dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2009.11.004
[12] Gichoya, D. (2012). Factors Affecting the Successful Implementation of ICT Projects in Government. The Electronic Journal of e-Government, 3(4), 175-184.
[13] Gilchrist, S., Gurbaxani, V., & Town, R. (2001). PCs and the Productivity Revolution. Working Paper, Center for Research on Information Technology and Organizations. Retrieved from Irvine:
[14] Gordon, R. J. (2000). Does the “New Economy” Measure up to the Great Inventions of the Past. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 14(4), 49-74.
[15] Greenan, N., Mairesse, J., & Topio-Bensaid, A. (2001). Information Technology, Productivity and Economic Growth: International Evidence and Implications for Economic Development. Cambridge: Oxford University Press.
[16] Gretton, P., Gali, J., & Parham, D. (2004). The effects of ICTs and Complementary Innovations on Australian Productivity Growth. In OECD (Ed.), The Economic Impact of ICT. Measurement, Evidence and Implication (pp. 105-130). Paris.
[17] Hartmann, T., van Meerveld, H., Vossebeld, N., & Adriaanse, A. (2012). Aligning building information model tools and construction management methods. Automation in Construction, 22(2012), 605-613. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2011.12.011
[18] Hebert, J. E., & Deckro, R. F. (2011). Combining contemporary and traditional project management tools to resolve a project scheduling problem. Computers & Operations Research, 38(1), 21-32. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cor.2009.12.004
[19] Hollenstein, H. (2004). Determinants of the adoption of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), An empirical analysis based on firm-level data for the Swiss business sector. Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, 15(3), 315-342.
[20] Hwang, B.-G., Zhao, X., & Toh, L. P. (2014). Risk management in small construction projects in Singapore: Status, barriers and impact. International Journal of Project Management, 32(1), 116-124. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijproman.2013.01.007
[21] Ibrahim, A. R., Roy, M. H., Ahmed, Z., & Imtiaz, G. (2010). An investigation of the status of the Malaysian Construction Industry. Benchmarking: An International Journal, 17(2), 294-308.
[22] Ika, L. A., Diallo, A., & Thuillier, D. (2010). Project management in the international development industry. International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, 3(1), 61-93.
[23] Isikdag, U., J.Underwood, J., Kuruoglu, M., Goulding, J., & Acikalin, U. (2009). Construction informatics in Turkey: strategic role of ICT and future research directions. Journal of Information Technology in Construction (ITcon), 14(2009), 412- 428.
[24] Jonsdottir, S., Ingason, H. T., & Jonasson, H. I. (2014). Continuous Improvement Projects in Certified Organizations in Iceland: Traditional Projects or not? Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 119(2014), 142-151. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j. sbspro.2014.03.018
[25] Jugdev, K., Perkins, D., Fortune, J., White, D., & Walker, D. (2013). An exploratory study of project success with tools, software and methods. International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, 6(3), 534-551.
[26] Kometa, S., Olomolaiye, P., & Harris, F. (1994). Attributes of UK construction clients influencing project consultants’ performance. Construction Manage Econ, 12, 433- 443.
[27] Lee, S., Yu, J., & Jeong, D. (2013). BIM Acceptance Model in Construction Organizations. Journal of Management in Engineering. doi:doi:10.1061/(ASCE)ME.1943- 5479.0000252
[28] Lehr, B., & Lichtenberg, F. (1999). Information Technology and its Impact on Productivity: Firm-level evidence from government and private data sources. The Canadian Journal of Economics, 32(2), 335-362.
[29] Mahmood, M. A., Hall, L., & Swanberg, D. L. (2001). Factors Affecting Information Technology Usage: A Meta-Analysis Of The Empirical Literature. Journal of Organizational Computing and Electronic Commerce, 11(2), 107–130.
[30] Milis, K., & Mercken, R. (2002). Success factors regarding the implementation of ICT investment projects. Int. J. Production Economics, 80(1), 105–117.
[31] Mir, F. A., & Pinnington, A. H. (2014). Exploring the value of project management: Linking Project Management Performance and Project Success. International Journal of Project Management, 32(2), 202-217. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j. ijproman.2013.05.012
[32] Morgan, A., Colebourne, D., & Thomas, B. (2006). The Development Of ICT Advisors For SME Businesses: An Innovative Approach. Technovation, 26(8), 980–987.
[33] Moriones, A. B., & Lopez, F. L. (2007). A firm-level analysis of determinants of ICT adoption in Spain. Technovation, 27(6), 352–366.
[34] Murphy, A., & Ledwith, A. (2007). Project Management Tools and Techniques in High-Technology SMEs. Management Research News, 30(2), 153-166.
[35] Mutesi, E. T., & Kyakula, M. (2011). Application of ICT in the Construction Industry in Kampala. Second International Conference on Advances in Engineering and Technology, 263-269.
[36] Ollo-Lopez, A., & Aramendia-Muneta, M. E. (2011). ICT impact competitiveness, innovation and environment. Telematics and Informatics, 29(2), 204-210.
[37] Pamulu, M. S., & Bhuta, C. (2004). Managing Information Technology in Construction Industry: the Indonesian Experience. Paper presented at the CIB World Building Congress 2004..
[38] Papadaki, M., Gale, A. W., Rimmer, J. R., Kirkham, R. J., Taylor, A., & Brown, M. (2014). Essential Factors that Increase the Effectiveness of Project/Programme Risk Management. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 119(2014), 921-930. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.03.103
[39] Peansupap, V., & Walker, D. H. T. (2005). Factors Enabling Information And Communication Technology Diffusion And Actual Implementation In Construction Organisations. Itcon, 10(2005), 193-218.
[40] Pereira, L., Tenera, A., & Wemans, J. (2013). Insights on Individual’s Risk Perception for Risk Assessment in Web-based Risk Management Tools. Procedia Technology, 9(2013), 886-892. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.protcy.2013.12.098
[41] Peterson, F., Hartmann, T., Fruchter, R., & Fischer, M. (2011). Teaching construction project management with BIM support: Experience and lessons learned. Automation in Construction, 20(2), 115-125. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2010.09.009
[42] PMI. (2013). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (5th Edition). Newton Square, PA.: Project Management Institute.
[43] Rogers, E. M. (2003). Diffusion of Innovations. New York: Free Press.
[44] Salas-Morera, L., Arauzo-Azofra, A., García-Hernández, L., Palomo-Romero, J. M., & Hervás-Martínez, C. (2013). PpcProject: An educational tool for software project management. Computers & Education, 69(2013), 181-188. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10. 1016/j.compedu.2013.07.018
[45] Sambasivan, M., & Soon, Y. W. (2007). Causes and effects of delays in Malaysian construction industry. International Journal of Project Management, 25(5), 517-526. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijproman.2006.11.007
[46] Sanjuan, A. G., & Froese, T. (2013). The Application of Project Management Standards and Success Factors to the Development of a Project Management Assessment Tool. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 74(2013), 91-100. doi: http://dx.doi.org/ 10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.03.035
[47] Shtub, A. (1997). Project segmentation—a tool for project management. International Journal of Project Management, 15(1), 15-19. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0263- 7863(96)00017-8
[48] Spalek, S. (2014). Does investment in project management pay off? Industrial Management & Data Systems, 114(5), 832-856.
[49] Ssewanyana, J., & Busler, M. (2007). Adoption and Usage of ICT in Developing Countries: Case of Ugandan Firms. International Journal of Education and Development using Information and Communication Technology (IJEDICT), 3(3), 49- 59.
[50] Stretton, A. (2007). A short history of modern project management. PMI World Today, 9(10), 1-18.
[51] Sukhoo, A., Barnard, A., Eloff, M. M., & Van der Poll, J. A. (2004). A Survey Of Project Management Tools, Techniques And Methodologies Used In Mauritius: The Current Status. Paper presented at the Global Knowledge for Project Management Professionals.
[52] Taylor, S., & Todd, P. A. (1995). Understanding Information Technology Usage: A Test of Competing Models. Information Systems Research, 6(2), 144-176.
[53] Todd, P., & Benbasat, I. (1999). Evaluating the impact of DSS, cognitive effort, and incentives on strategy selection. Information Systems Research, 10(4), 356-374.
[54] Turner, J. R. (2008). The Handbook of Project-Based Management. New York: McGraw-Hill.
[55] Venkatesh, V., & Morris, M. (2000). Why don’t men ever stop to ask for directions? Gender, social influence, and their role in technology acceptance and usage behavior. MIS Quarterly, 24(1), 115–139.
[56] Ventakesh, V., & Bala, H. (2008). Technology Acceptance Model 3 and a Research Agenda on Interventions. Decision Sciences, 39(2), 273-315.
[57] White, D., & Fortune, J. (2002). Current practice in project management-an empirical study. International Journal of Project Management, 20(1), 1-11.