Title: The Use of Information Technology on Gaining Competitive Advantage in Turkish Contractor Firms
Abstract: A study has been carried out in order to determine the current extent of IT usage and highlight the importance of the use of IT at strategic level which plays an effective role on providing competitive advantage. Current use of IT, main objectives on the use of IT, benefits and obstacles arise from the use of IT and impacts of IT implementations are determined by undertaking a field survey of a large number of contractor firms in Turkey. With the help of the field survey, levels of IT usage, IT skill levels and IT training of Turkish contractor firms are evaluated. Moreover, it is demonstrated whether Turkish contractor firms use IT or not on gaining competitive advantage. It is found that IT have been using mostly at operational level works which create only technical and economic effects, not strategic ones. Although firms which compete in construction industry need to use IT at strategic level in order to gain competitive advantage; there is not much evidence that the Technology has been continuously improving, among Turkish contractor firms. By the evaluation of the causes high business pressures that affect organizations' field survey findings, Turkish contractor firms' current current and future competitiveness. These pressures use of IT, their main objectives on the use of IT, benefits cause common and rapid changes on all industries. and obstacles arise from the use of IT and impacts of IT Construction industry is also affected by these changes implementations are determined. Moreover, levels of IT and firms which operate in the construction industry are usage, IT skill levels and IT training of Turkish contractor challenged with increased global competition. Hence, firms are also presented. Finally, it is searched whether information technology (IT) becomes an issue to cope they use IT or not in order to gain competitive advantage. with the change; by means of adding, developing and competing with the modern business environment. Information Technology in the Construction Industry: When analyzing the use of IT in the construction Construction industry is a project-oriented industry that industry, it is seen that contractor firms mostly use IT at produces unique products. Each project based on a long their operational level works. Therefore, they obtain only process from the initiation of the project, design, technical and economic impacts from the use of it. The procurement, construction, operation to the disposal of it. missing point is obtaining strategic impacts which help The risk factor is really high in the construction industry, them to gain competitiveness in the industry and to reach as the nature of the work itself is unpredictable. Many the set of objectives depending on their mission and resources involved and many interrelationships existed in vision.
Publication Year: 2012
Publication Date: 2012-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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Cited By Count: 21
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