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Development of a web-based system for managing suppliers’ performance and knowledge sharing in construction project

Zi Qian Li (Department of Surveying, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Selangor, Malaysia)
Hai Chen Tan (School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society, Heriot-Watt University Malaysia, Putrajaya, Malaysia)
Chimay Anumba (College of Design, Construction and Planning, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA)
Fah Choy Chia (Department of Surveying, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Selangor, Malaysia)

Built Environment Project and Asset Management

ISSN: 2044-124X

Article publication date: 11 May 2017

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to introduce a web-based system that provides an efficient means for managing suppliers’ performance which also facilitates the leveraging of suppliers’ knowledge for the benefit of the on-going projects.

Design/methodology/approach

Case study approach is adopted. In total, 12 semi-structured interviews are conducted with Malaysia-based public listed construction companies to study their current practice and the requirements for the development of an information and communication technology (ICT) aided system for the purpose. Subsequently, a web-based system for managing suppliers’ performance is developed using ASP.net and MSSQL database.

Findings

Most of the case study companies are found to have low levels of ICT adoption and still resort to handling the majority of the tasks involved in the selection and management of suppliers’ performance manually. An ICT-based system that can improve the recording of important information about the suppliers, provide a function for supplier selection and facilitate the capture of useful reusable knowledge of the suppliers is needed.

Originality/value

The paper has shown empirically that a web-based suppliers’ performance management system eases the supplier selection process and the monitoring of suppliers’ performance. In addition, it demonstrates how such systems can be designed to capture and facilitate the leveraging of suppliers’ knowledge, and how suppliers’ knowledge contribution can be recognised as part of their performance. The system adopts a novel two-way communication model which provides the suppliers the access to their own performance records to identify room for improvements.

Keywords

Citation

Qian Li, Z., Chen Tan, H., Anumba, C. and Choy Chia, F. (2017), "Development of a web-based system for managing suppliers’ performance and knowledge sharing in construction project", Built Environment Project and Asset Management, Vol. 7 No. 2, pp. 117-129. https://doi.org/10.1108/BEPAM-10-2015-0061

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited

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