The Potential of RFID as an Enabler of Knowledge Management and Collaboration for the Procurement Cycle in the Construction Industry

Abstract

Among the array of innovative ICTs (information and communication technologies), radio frequency identification technology (RFID) can be considered as a major innovation with the potential to offer many new opportunities for construction companies to improve communication, facilitate teamwork, improve information management skills, and encourage greater cross-fertilization between business processes. Empirical results point to the need of the four participating firms to overcome several procurement issues and bottlenecks in order to gain more substantial competitive advantages and consistently satisfy project owners throughout the entire procurement cycle. An RFID system has the potential to improve real-time document and material tracking and control. But, more importantly, findings suggest that RFID improves the management, sharing, and transfer of knowledge and fosters collaboration through integrated document management, prompt issue management, risk management and efficient decision making.