E-work: the next Iteration in Construction Materials Management Systems

The initiative of implementing Internet-based solutions for the integration of the supply chain of materials will not succeed if there is not assurance of collaboration and communication among the parties in the construction business. Neither EDI nor web-based supply chain applications can facilitate both the process integration and flexibility required by the construction processes practiced today. E-work is a suitable concept for this endeavor because it comprises principles that allow cooperation and collaboration in the organization. The research described in this paper follows upon recent publications on E-work models in order to propose a set of applications in construction materials management systems. Expected benefits are related to conflict resolution and reduction of lead times and subcontractor overhead costs. Implications of this work with respect to the initiatives based on IAI/IFC or STEP models comprise the potential for prediction of materials requirements with the use of task administration protocols and autonomous agents.