Human and information technology/information system (IT/IS) implementation success factors in construction industry

Mobile computing, cloud computing and social connectivity are the three big trends materializing across multiple industries that promote effective information exchange. Being in the information-intensive industry, it is crucial for the construction organisations to embrace Information Technology/ Information System (IT/IS) to remain competitive. Failure to access accurate, complete and timely information will make the organisation unable to deliver the best result in the most productive manner. Many researchers have highlighted the IT/IS implementation failure due to the human factor. To deal with this issue, this study aims to identify the human factor that influence the success or failure in IT/IS implementation. An initial list of 23 human factors was identified from the literature review and a preliminary interview with seven Malaysian companies representing a variety of construction industry participants and IT experts. This was followed by a main study comprising a questionnaire survey of 311 construction industry practitioners including contractors, developers, construction material suppliers as well as a diverse range of construction consultancy practice which include architect, engineers and quantity surveyors. Data obtained were analysed using the Relative Importance Index, mean and the Spearman Correlation Coefficient. The analytical result revealed 7 factors as having the greatest impact on the success/failure of IT/IS implementation. The implication of the findings implies that organisation should consider the identified factor as crucial in maximising the probability of success in IT/IS implementation