Various stakeholders who may have an interest in either the construction process or its product. Usually they may include construction contractors, consulting professionals (architects, engineers, quantity surveyors, etc.), the construction client, governments (if not the client), public or society, and so forth.
Published in Chapter:
Client Expectations in Virtual Construction Concepts
O.K.B Barima (University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong)
Copyright: © 2009
|Pages: 5
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-60566-026-4.ch090
Abstract
Meeting the expectations of clients through better service delivery has been a key concern of the construction industry over the years (Hui, 2005; Shen & Liu, 2004 ). One recommendation often suggested in recent studies to support the delivery of construction works to the construction client is the use of information and communication technology (ICT) (Weippert, Kajewski, & Tilley, 2003). In recent times the virtual construction concept has emerged where construction actors may rely on modern ICT tools to operate irrespective of time and space, to attain common value delivery goals in construction projects. For example, highly skilled construction parties may be in different physical geographic locations in the world, but they may use modern ICT tools to collaborate to achieve common project goals. The virtual construction concept has the potential to provide cost and time savings to the construction client, and it is also likely to play an important role in the delivery of construction works (Barima, 2003). A key party to the construction delivery process is the construction client, and it may be important to know the client’s expectations in the use of the virtual construction concept. This knowledge may provide understanding on the potential expectations of construction clients and also assist construction service providers to improve on their value delivery systems to their clients. This chapter explores the potential expectations of construction clients in the virtual construction project environment. First, the background to this study is provided via review of previous literature, then the research methodology and key findings of this exploratory study are presented, before recommendations for future studies and the conclusions are given.