Business Processes Engineering

Core Knowledge Area Module Number 6:

Principles of Using BPR to align Information Technology as an Enabler in Industry Construction

Depth Component

Student: XXX XXX

Faculty Mentor: Dr. XXX XXX

Faculty Assessor: Dr. XXX XXX

XXX University

August 31, 2006

Abstract

With the increase and innovations with technology presently, many of these technological advances must be considered in industry construction. At present, knowledge and information harnessed from the breadth section shows IT for industry to be more as an enabler than a driver. Construction management firms; however, have become aggravated with the failing information technology (IT) solutions due to preconceived notions that one computer information system is a best fit for all industry clients. Consequently, this leads to investment practices of the wrong technologies without addressing business needs of perspective clients. Considering the competition among major construction and engineering firms, the purpose of the Depth it to see how IT systems are being developed within major construction management, and engineering firms. Consequently, practicable and technological solutions that will enable the practices of Business Process Redesign (BPR) to meet the demanding needs of industry clients through document and project reporting will be explored in depth.

Depth Introduction

Using BPR to align Information Technology as an Enabler in Industry Construction

Industry construction is by far one of the more complex industries globally. Primary players in this immense enterprise are the construction management and engineering firms. This entity includes a team having skills and knowledge, acquired through education and experience, to manage the planning, design, and construction of an industry level project from beginning to end while at the same time having controls on cost, safety, time management and quality. When controlling cost, safety, time management and quality document reporting through effective IT to track these entities is required to support client expectations.

There is no doubt that IT has changed the business world of how construction reporting takes place. With the associated roots of this change, we can assume that the level and effectiveness of information sharing available between the construction management firm and the industry client makes a big difference especially when the information comes faster than a nano of a second. In other words, the value of IT in today's industry construction division extends far and above the absolute value of the contracted or planned service. Consequently, we must further explore the value of IT and current technology used in construction in efforts to lead into current best practices of BPR toward the alignment of industry construction information systems.

The Value of IT

In light of this perspective, Barua and Mukhopadhyay, (2000) shows technology and applications software alone do not move an organization forward to success. In other words, strategies, processes and incentives researched and applied with technology and applications enable success. In fact, Barua and Mukhopadhyay, (2000) argue that studies on business value of IT move the center of attention away from remote investments in IT applications to the interconnected deployments of IT, business, and organizational factors. Something a construction engineering firm should consider when aligning database document reporting systems with client organizational standards to track safety, quality, cost, and time.

The value of the IT today lies not in the value of the contracted or planned service, but rather in the value of IT in relation to the entire industry construction business and organization. IT today can reinforce and enhance the operation of the entire construction company in ways that do not necessarily relate to the original purpose of the IT structure.

The Value of IT - Decision Making

Information technology has gone from being a mere computing tool to being a 360 degree system integrated in all facets of the workplace. The evolution of information technology systems that support decision-making in an organization have become so ingrained, or integrated with the organization itself that they are not even regarded as separate systems any more (Todd & Benbasat, 2000). Participation of IT in the decision making process has become so commonplace that it is virtually transparent to members of many organizations today (Todd & Benbasat, 2000). In addition, information provided by IT departments was once used only within the company to make decisions. Thanks to the Internet and interconnectivity of computers from around the world, IT systems in other locations may be used to make decisions about the company. In the early 1960s, Newell and Simon began to do research on how information technology might eventually integrate with decision-making. By the late 1970's, the concept of decision-making systems (DSS) integrated with IT was being explored and developed. Morton, Keen, and Bennett led to the development of the concept that behavior thinking could be combined with science and ideas from both mathematical modeling and the developing field of operations research (Todd & Benbasat, 2000).

The Value of IT - Knowledge Management

According to Alavi (2000), knowledge management, in and of itself, is not a new field. The idea of managing, storing, and accessing the knowledge of a company, group, or organization has been around virtually since the time of organizations. It has only been in recent history; however, that the concept of knowledge management and knowledge management systems has come to be of utmost importance (Alavi, 2000). The reason for this, in part, is that the rate of development of the modern company has increased exponentially in recent years. Furthermore, the emergence of globalization introduced a new thrust for knowledge and the implementation and utilization and application