INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Information Communication Technology

Abstract

This paper introduces the findings of a recent study on the use of information technology (IT) among the quantity surveying (QS) organisations in Britain. The study was conducted through a structured questionnaire survey among 18 QS organisations registered in Britain, representing around 53% of the total number of organisations in the profession. The data set generated from this study provided rich information about what information technology the QS profession used what the perceived benefits and barriers experienced by the users in the industry were. The survey concluded that although IT had been widely used in QS organisations in Britain, it is mainly used to support various individual tasks of the QS services at a basic level, rather than to streamline the production of QS services as a whole through automation. Most of the respondents agreed that IT plays an important role in the QS profession but they had not fully taken advantage of IT to improve their competitive edge in the market. They usually adopted a more passive “wait and see” approach. In addition, very few QS organisations in Britain have a comprehensive policy in promoting the use of IT within the organisations. It is recommended that the QS profession must recognise the importance of IT and take appropriate actions to meet the challenges of ever-changing and competitive market place.

Table of Content

Chapter One4

Introduction4

Aims4

Dissertation Objectives4

Rationale of the Study5

Background5

Chapter Two10

Literature Review10

Chapter Layout10

Review of the Literature10

Summation of the Literature Review24

Chapter Three26

Methodology26

Chapter Four28

Discussion and Analysis28

Research findings31

Chapter Five45

Conclusion45

References47

Chapter One

Introduction

Aims

An investigation into the implementation of information communication technology by the Quantity Surveying profession, and it's potential for further developments to improve productivity.

Dissertation Objectives

1. To review the published literature on ICT usage in the QS profession to establish a broad understanding of the topic and define the theoretical framework.

2. To define provisional findings from the literature review. 3. To define an appropriate methodology for the research in the light of findings of the literature review.

4. To undertake a number of interviews to investigate further the provisional findings obtained from the literature review.

5. To analysis the primary data gathered by the interviews and draw conclusions from this analysis and summarise findings.

6. To make recommendations based on the conclusion drawn in regards to future potential developments in ICT implementations for the QS profession.

Rationale of the Study

This report analyses and evaluates information and communication technology (ICT) development using indicators of ICT diffusion across UK. It develops a conceptual framework for and selects key indicators measuring ICT development, with a specific focus on information and communication technologies (ICTs) as pervasive technologies of global impact, wide application and growing potential. Also, it target levels of existing infrastructure connectivity, as well as measures of future potential and important determinants affecting UK' abilities to absorb adopt and make use of these rapidly evolving technologies.

Background

The challenges in such a targeting exercise are manifold, in the selection of a representative set of indicators measuring the complex concept of technology development; in the “breadth versus depth” trade-off in ...