Intelligent enterprises for construction: Bridging the technology and knowledge gAps through innovation and education

Abstract

The paper addresses the main issues of the technology shift much needed in the construction sector of Singapore. The reason being there is a prevalent understanding that this sector invests little in information technology (IT) as compared with the other economic sectors. Essentially, the shift entails the bridging of a knowledge gap between industry and research academia. And, it is argued that a mindset change among construction practitioners will be required as a move to embrace artificial intelligence (AI) in their business and operational decisions. The recommendations put forward are that, in the short term, the knowledge gap can be filled when construction-sector organisations have acquired the basic infrastructures (or building blocks) of intelligent enterprise architecture and, in the long term, education can sustain the growth of intelligent enterprises by supplying knowledge workers to these enterprises. The research methodology comprises a postal questionnaire survey of construction-sector organisations and a review of the literature on AI in construction management.