Alternate Strategies in the Use of Information Technology in the Construction Industry of Different Countries

The effective application of Information Technology (IT) in construction requires a combination of strategic and tactical development. This paper adopted a simplified strategic IT planning framework of four levels---national and government level, professional and institution level, construction enterprise level and construction project level to review the alternative strategies in the use of IT in the construction industry of different countries. Five representative countries, Singapore, Finland, United Kingdom, Japan and the United States are reviewed by their usage of IT in their construction industries. The objective of this study is to analyze how a proper management policy can contribute to effective IT applications for different countries under differing practices and conditions.