Information Technology and the Efficiency of Materials Supply - The implementation of EDI in Swedish construction industry

Abstract Electronic data interchange (EDI) and other forms of information technology have attracted a lot of interest as a means for making the materials supply system more efficient. Potential cost savings and the opportunities for increased competitiveness have been recognized by, among others, the large Swedish construction companies. However, despite this interest in EDI communication and several years of industry-wide development work, practical use is still very limited. The purpose of this article is to describe and analyse the potential advantages of EDI, and to identify and analyse implementation problems and barriers that contribute to the slow rate of diffusion.