COLLABORATIVE NETWORKS SUPPORT SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS SETTINGS REGARDING INTEGRATION OF DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION

misbe2011 Tracking Number 222

Keywords: collaborative networks, assessment, integration, CPFR-model, total-cost-of-ownership. Introduction: Collaborative networks (CN’s) represent systems of legally independent partners in industries and services that cooperate on shared economic sense, coordinate and communicate in changed business paradigms using systems supported by Internet technology and web-based services. Actually, collaborative networks represent promising business paradigms to cope with the current turbulence on markets. Considering design and construction of private and public property collaborative networks encompass opportunities like enlargement of capacity, cost effectiveness and avoidance of doubles. Participation in CN’s provide firms not only enlargement of their business capacity, but also an opportunity to start a new economic life cycle. Traditional business settings of the construction process represent organization of craftsmen. Current business settings are based on industrial approach of the construction process. The adoption of Internet and web-based solutions offer a challenge to change and indicate speed in work flow management and exchange of information, which are topics in managing the construction process. Internet and information technology appear to be enablers of CN’s. For instance participants in the construction process such as: architects, engineers, contractors, suppliers and subcontractors aligned to collaboration have to accept new roles, when they enter systems of CN’s. Problem: Considering collaborative networks and the traditional business settings of the construction industry the following questions are of importance to find a solution: 1. Are collaborative networks adopted by governments, industries, supportive industries, public services and private services? Are they legally supported by current national and international law? 2. How does the construction market and adjacent markets cope with collaborative networks to regulate competition and transparency? 3. How do we organize collaborative assessment of partners in collaborative networks? This research paper has two objectives: 1. To identify ontology of collaborative networks focused on integration of design and construction. 2. To initiate an assessment model to test sufficiency of participants to enter collaborative construction industries’ networks focused on integration of design and construction. Conclusion: Collaborative networks (CN’s) indicate transfer of total spatial solutions. The best back-up of contracts encompassing offers meeting the business standard “cost of ownership” are provided by collaborative networks. These networks show synergy between “economies of scope” and “economies of scale”. Collaboration means enlargement of capacity regarding design, engineering, construction and maintenance. Firm assessment of partners will contribute to sustainable collaborative networks that cover requirements set by the public and private domain. Considering supply chain management, collaborative networks are able to implement the CPFR - model in the construction industry. The CPFR – model encloses collaboration, planning, forecasting, and replenishment. Strategy and planning of the CN’s containing design, engineering and construction are clearly focused on the investor and user. Supply chain management (SCM) is strictly focused on forecasting “time to market” and “time to volume” setting strict guidelines to all partners involved in the construction process. Logistics and the building process are submitted to fulfillment of the contract. Strict assessment of effectiveness and efficiency of partnership is measured. Necessary to arrive at CN’s realizing contracts with the guarantee of “total cost of ownership” in accordance with the investors’ specifications.