INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (IT) USE FOR PROJECT DELIVERY AND ITS INFLUENCE ON PROJECT PERFORMANCE IN THE NIGERIAN CONSTRUCTION

INDUSTRY

BY BABATUNJI ADEGOKE 020402007

SUPERVISED BY DR. G.I. IDORO

IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE AWARD OF MASTER OF SCIENCE IN CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT

AT THE DEPARTMENT OF BUILDING

UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS

OCTOBER, 2011

ABSTRACT Information technology (IT) has been widely used by professionals in the construction industry over the years especially in developed countries. However, studies have shown that IT use in construction especially in developing countries such as Nigeria is low. This study examines IT use for project delivery and its influence on project performance in the Nigerian construction industry. The objectives of the study are to determine the relative effects of factors affecting the use of IT for project delivery, to evaluate the level of awareness of IT use for project delivery by project team members, to determine the use of IT in project delivery and to determine the relationship between use of IT and project performance. Questionnaires were administered to professionals directly involved in project delivery. Data collected was analyzed with SPSS. Mean score and Chi-square were tools used for data analysis. E-mail, MS word, personal computers, internet and MS Excel rank highest as the IT facilities professionals in the Nigerian construction industry use for project delivery. In the study it was discovered that there is no significant relationship between use of selected IT facilities and project cost and that there is no significant relationship between project time and the use selected IT facilities except for gaming technology and E-catalougues. Political barriers that modulate and distort competitive market, poor power supply, low level of computer literacy, lack of IT training facilities and lack of government support for IT research in construction were discovered to have the highest effect on the use of IT for project delivery. The study concluded that IT use in the Nigerian construction industry does not contribute to project performance and therefore recommended that stakeholders should encourage and promote research and development in the application of IT throughout the project life-cycle and that government should invest more resources in making power stable.