Social e-business and the Satellite Network model: Innovative concepts to improve collaboration in construction

Automation in Construction 22 (2012) 387–397

Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect

Automation in Construction journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/autcon

Social e-business and the Satellite Network model: Innovative concepts to improve collaboration in construction António Aguiar Costa a,⁎, Luís Valadares Tavares b, 1 a b

ICIST/Instituto Superior Técnico, Technical University of Lisbon, Av. Rovisco Pais, Lisbon 1049-001, Portugal CESUR/Instituto Superior Técnico, Technical University of Lisbon, Av. Rovisco Pais, Lisbon 1049-001, Portugal

a r t i c l e

i n f o

Article history: Accepted 26 September 2011 Available online 27 October 2011 Keywords: e-Business Collaborative work Supply chain Social networks

a b s t r a c t The construction industry recognizes that significant gains can be achieved using e-business. However, ebusiness platforms need to progress toward new emerging paradigms; beyond the dematerialization of processes, e-business must integrate collaborative tools, support social networking mechanisms, and enhance interoperability between systems in order to improve collaboration, develop trust, and implement strategic approaches to network relationships. The Social e-business concept presented in this paper defines this innovative e-business vision, which integrates web-based collaborative tools, emphasizes the importance of social capital and social networking, and enhances the role of supply chain management. The proposed Satellite Network model fits in with this collaborative working logic, defining a functional approach to enhance the social network behavior in a project-based web platform for the construction industry. A case study is presented demonstrating the implementation of the Social e-business concept and the Social Network model in an innovative electronic platform for the construction industry. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction Construction has a significant impact on national economies. In Europe, it represents 9.9% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employs more than 14 million European Union (EU) citizens; it is estimated that 44.6 million workers in the EU depend, in one way or another, on the construction sector [28]. Notwithstanding, it is a stagnant industry with low productivity, where innovation is not a priority and many small companies iteratively interact in a highly fragmented market [25,48]. According to the European Commission [20], construction companies' budgets for Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) correspond to about 4% of total expenditures, an extremely low percentage due primarily to the high number of small companies [20]. A low e-business implementation rate provides evidence of the construction industry's technological apathy. As Ruikar and Anumba [70] suggest, this rate is lower than in other engineering sectors, such as the automotive or the aerospace industries, which are considerably more technologically advanced. Despite low innovation indices, several innovative technologies are emerging in the construction sector, challenging traditional working methods and stimulating innovation, particularly in the areas of eprocurement, 3D technology, and Web-based project management [5,6,20,24,29,82]. Gradually, these new technologies are being integrated ⁎ Corresponding author. Tel.: +351 218 418 351; fax: +351 218 409 884. E-mail addresses: [email protected] (A.A. Costa), [email protected] (L.V. Tavares). 1 Tel.: +351 218 418 305; fax: +351 218 409 884. 0926-5805/$ – see front matter © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.autcon.2011.09.017

into the construction work processes, demonstrating the potential gains to be achieved [14,15,64,68]. The high-tech environment currently surrounding most professional and social activities has also been a relevant stimulus for change. In particular, the online social network phenomenon [12], which is generating new collaboration and communication perspectives in professional environments [3,30]. Thus, even though the construction industry is complex and presents low innovation indices, it is experiencing significant changes toward higher levels of dematerialization, online collaboration, and management efficiency that are improving performance and gradually driving more advanced systems. In this paper some changes in the construction industry will be discussed, particularly regarding e-business implementation and the emergence of new working paradigms, with particular focus on collaboration and supply chain (SC) integration. In this context, a new approach to e-business will be proposed, and a case study will be presented in order to validate this innovative approach. 2. Construction trends in collaborative work: an e-business perspective Evidence demonstrates that the construction industry is changing. The progressive implementation of electronic platforms for different e-business purposes [22,82], the growing adoption of new technologies to improve collaborative work and project integration [49], the increasing concern with systems interoperability [33,41], the development of more collaborative contractual frameworks [46] and the development of integrated project delivery approaches [4,9] show

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that new working models are emerging and ICT is encouraging change. Web-based collaborative platforms and building information modeling (BIM) are examples of new technologies that are shifting the construction paradigm [34,56,72]. Web-based collaborative platforms enable users to collaborate, manage and share relevant information, and stimulate easy and stable communication; they act as integrative platforms that stimulate generation of dynamic online communities. BIM has emerged as an information digital support that integrates all life cycle information in rich 3D models, connecting the supply chain and supporting all the actors along the entire life cycle of projects [24,73,82]. Additionally, it provides virtual reality simulations and fosters visualization and understanding [80]. Several initiatives demonstrate performance improvements [57,75]. Presently, web-based collaborative platforms and BIM emerge assembled in hybrid platforms, which support collaborative web tools and BIM servers, creating a collaborative working environment connected to a rich knowledge base and capable of supporting advanced operations and strengthening relations through the supply chain [40]. Asite [7] and Onuma [58] are commercial examples of this type of hybrid platform. Driven by these new technologies, the new construction paradigm increasingly recognizes the designer's influence in delivering functionality, lower life cycle costs, safety, and value for money. Many important decisions are made in early phases, such as site location, technologies to implement, construction processes, etc., and an integrated approach to the design phase, involving the different actors, is fundamental to ensure project performance [8]. Recognizing this, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) provides a manual with information and guidance concerning integrated project delivery [4]. It defines integrated project delivery (IPD) as a project delivery approach that integrates people, systems, business structures and practices into a process that collaboratively connects all the players in order to optimize project results, improve project performance, and maximize value and efficiency throughout the entire project life cycle. In this sense, IPD proclaims the use of incentives and goals, shared risk, early involvement of all parties, multiparty agreements and several other SCM instruments. Other methodologies also hint at this integrated vision, such as the lean project delivery system [9,43,45]. Within this integrated vision, Supply chain management (SCM) [47,60,66] also emerges within e-business systems as a strategic tool to achieve better performances, improve collaboration and stimulate the formation of stronger networking relationships, with a particular focus on online collaborative work [10,17,18,38,42,49,65,71]. As has been shown, collaboration and integration are taking on an increasingly important role in construction projects and technologies are increasingly promoting and stimulating change. BIM is progressively used throughout the entire project life cycle [86] and ebusiness is becoming a part of this new paradigm, not only integrating innovative tools as BIM, but also generating interoperable collaborative e-business environments that are capable of supporting integrated project delivery approaches, such as the IPD. In this context, e-business platforms face significant challenges, not only because they must be constantly up to date on the most recent work trends and the industry's needs, but also because they must be able to envision the future in order to be competitive and successful. 3. Innovative perspective on e-business New technologies and innovative methodologies are emerging in the construction industry and e-business is playing a central role in this evolution. ICT is no longer the servant of business operations; it has become an integral partner [21]. E-business already covers a wide range of electronic services, which include not only the dematerialization of internal business processes but also the cooperative or

collaborative processes between companies. However, construction e-business must innovate, not only because few web-based collaborative platforms support BIM, but also because new working paradigms are emerging and must be incorporated in the e-business platforms. The emerging social networking phenomenon, which will be analyzed in detail in the following section of the paper, is one of these new paradigms. This phenomenon is increasingly influencing the way parties collaborate and interact, eliminating virtual work barriers and electronic collaboration and pushing development of new forms of SC interaction. 3.1. Social e-business: a relationship approach to e-business Castells [13] argues that it is because of ICT that the network society is transcending the limits of networks as forms of social organization and interaction. The impersonal and atomistic relationship among individual actors competing in an impersonal marketplace is becoming inadequate in a world where firms are embedded in networks of social, professional and exchange relationships. These networks are becoming strategic, creating a more competitive economic environment where a firm's network assumes enhanced importance [35,36,55]. In this networked economy, business tends to focus on alliances, partnerships, and collaborations, where information and knowledge are a competitive advantage. Within the context of increasing SC integration, collaboration and technological development, advanced collaborative tools, electronic processes, and social network phenomena are transforming society and markets and generating new work paradigms [3,52,53]. The social network phenomenon plays a significant role in this transformation. Although it is typically recognized as a disruptive transformation among the non-professional web, there is a wider impact affecting the professional use of the Internet. Wellman [84] previews this change and discusses the evolution of computer-supported social networks regarding the influence of social networks on collaborative work. Social Capital [11,19] is the notion behind this social networking vision, which can be defined as an investment in social relations with expected returns (some of the most common expected returns have to do with knowledge integration, team performance and trust development [39,69]). Online social networks [12,30,62] fully exploit Social Capital, demonstrating that relevant gains can be achieved. As a result, social networking sites have arisen in multiple sectors and distinct situations [27,31,44,59] (Fig. 1). According to Lin [50], social networks allow actors to interact through their relational ties and produce profits (capital) primarily because they: • facilitate the flow of information, reducing the transaction cost; • simplify the generation of social ties, which may exert influences on the decision agents who make critical decisions involving the actor; • enhance an individual's social credentials to the organization to which he/she belongs as its social ties may be useful to the organization; • reinforce identity and recognition. In the case of e-business, the online social network environment may induce relevant changes in the electronic platforms behavior and transform e-business into a broader concept that is more aware of collaborative work and social capital. In the past, e-business focused on the dematerialization of processes, particularly the internal business processes, enterprise communication and electronic commerce. Now, e-business is starting to integrate collaboration tools, link professionals, promote knowledge share, generate online communities and support evaluation tools to improve supply chain coordination [54,62]. E-business is gradually becoming a wide transaction network linking all organizations and respective internal networks,

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Fig. 1. Social network site use.

where trust development may contribute positively to improve supply chain performance. Social networks may play a significant role in trust development. They not only make it possible to improve coordination between firms and mitigate transaction costs by making opportunism more costly because of reputational effects [36], but also provide several trust development-oriented mechanisms [62], which may help to improve relationships within the supply chain and help to achieve more efficient results, as firms will more likely share knowledge and accept risk [16,23]. Looking at common social network sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. [85], several of these mechanisms can be easily identified. For example, it is possible to add users to a network, search in friends' networks, comment on profiles and posts, rate posts, recommend elements of a network, share information and create subgroups within a network. Several communication channels are available (private and public) and a dynamic “Wall” page is constantly updated with a network's news. In summary, information sharing, network management tools and several communication options may contribute to improving trust and exploiting collective intelligence. Some of these social mechanisms should inspire e-business platforms. For instance, e-business platforms should allow users to create and manage their own collaborative networks, to comment and rate working experiences and partners, to create and manage closer relationships and to promote the use of dynamic key performance indicators (KPIs) to support strategic supply chain management, enhance relationships management and monitor project performance. Moreover, as an interoperable information support that is changing the construction industry, BIM should also appear as a part of this innovative vision for e-business, stimulating collaboration, integration and information share. Furthermore, an electronic platform integrating BIM technology offers the opportunity for a wide range of valueadded services specifically oriented to collaborative processes and able to improve information management, process automation and SC integration. In order to systematize this vision about e-business, a new designation is proposed to define this social and relational approach to ebusiness: Social e-business. This concept emerges to enhance collaboration and trust relationships in e-business, integrating and adapting common social network collaborative tools and emphasizing the role of SCM in e-business. Several major features should be

considered when developing a Social e-business platform for the construction industry: • several communication channels (email, forum, comments, blog, etc.); • distinct tools for information sharing, providing various levels of permissions; • community-based knowledge generation tools (such as wiki pages); • an application store to provide advanced models from different online users/companies; • an e-catalog where registered users/companies can place products and create groups of products in partnership with other companies; • a recommendation system, not only for recommending products from e-catalogs but also companies; • a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) system to monitor project performance and network relationships; • a BIM server able to support and manage information models and other external information (such as messages or external links); • a flexible collaborative network system, able to integrate the entire SC. 3.2. The Satellite Network model Tuomela [81] argues that a modern model of the construction network is emerging. As the structure of the network changes, the role of the focal firm (building owner) is altered by the creation of a more open network interaction, where specialized and integrated actors increase end-user interaction, flexibility and iterative facilities design. The ability to generate integrated and flexible collaborative networks in an electronic environment represents a major challenge that must be given special attention. These collaborative networks should be project-based, oriented toward trust improvement and SC integration and open to the network of actors around the network of projects. As Linderoth [51] suggests, each time a project ends and a new one begins, new networks of actors are generated; the challenge is to transfer experiences, knowledge and the benefits achieved in previous projects to new projects and collaborative networks. In order to achieve this, it is crucial to have an electronic platform capable of integrating the entire SC participating in a specific project, providing a

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flexible and dynamic environment. Moreover, in order to retain and transfer valuable information throughout the projects (including information concerning relationships management), it is essential to implement strategic Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and other information management instruments (Fig. 2). A Social e-business platform should provide this project-based collaborative network behavior and implement a functional model capable of promoting the development of dynamic social networks to exploit collaboration, integrate knowledge within the projects and strengthen relationships over time, all while respecting information confidentiality. This complex behavior is difficult to implement in web-based collaborative platforms, though it is fundamental for enhancing social capital potential in e-business. Common collaborative web platforms are based typically on single networks, and are managed by an administrator who controls site permissions; this is usually the owner of the project (Fig. 3). However, there are several parties that are not able to use the platform without restriction. For example, if the owner is the only user allowed to manage the project network, then the general contractor's subcontractors will not be a part of the collaborative network and the general contractor will not be able to use this project-based network to work online with subcontractors. Social e-business must avoid such situations and promote integrated online networks covering entire supply chains, offering all actors the possibility to interact through the electronic platform. In this way, information will flow without structural limitations, new opportunities will arise and it will be possible to provide better e-business services. Network management trends in construction management indicate that client centrality is the primary variable for network governance in the industry [81]. Self-governance, virtuality and specialization also play significant roles in network organization governance. Furthermore, as Monge and Contractor [55] argue, centralized networks are more efficient for routine tasks while decentralized networks are more efficient for creative tasks or collaborative problem solving activities; construction usually fits in the latter. To avoid rigid client centrality, promote flexible behaviors, stimulate collaborative and creative interactions and enhance online integration of the supply chain, it is important to create decentralized network structures in which players create their own networks and manage these new collaborative networks without any restrictions, all while using existing collaborative tools and services. At the same time it is important to avoid the generation of several fragmented networks concerning the same project, the result of which makes information and project management complex and inefficient. In this sense, an innovative collaborative network model is proposed that is projectbased and capable of integrating all interested parties without generating fragmented information. Shown in Fig. 4, this is called the Satellite Network model. In the Satellite Network model all connected actors can create their own satellite networks to work privately within those networks

Project A

and independently of the administrator of the main project collaboration network. In these networks they have administrative permissions and manage confidentiality in a simple way, being able to invite who they want and manage the respective viewing and editing permissions over time. Using this model, it is possible to simulate a network of networks within a specific project and support the large numbers of actors involved, existing phases, knowledge backgrounds and work networks that make construction projects a complex system composed of multiple SCs [61]. This Satellite Network model mimics the dynamic and interactive industry's behavior and gives the platform the capability to organize existing information in a projectbased structure. Each satellite network has its own permission configuration and has reduced information fragmentation and duplication, as the users don't need to create independent collaboration networks and are able to share a specific file between different networks (if they have the necessary permission). The construction industry is a complex system that asks for a projectbased, collaborative, relationship-oriented approach to management. Social e-business may contribute positively to supporting these challenges, promoting an integrated perspective and incentivizing collaboration. The Satellite Network is a functional model that supports this vision and generates integrated SC networks that are able to communicate, collaborate, use common services and create valuable synergies over time.

4. Case study: the PLAGE platform In Portugal, public e-procurement was made mandatory in November 2009 [1]. Since then, it has been demonstrated that significant improvements are achievable by using electronic platforms and that a considerable reduction in operational efforts is possible [77,78]. In this context, procurement participants have more time to think strategically about procurement [67,83], and relationship management becomes more relevant throughout the project life cycle [37,74,79]. On the other hand, the mandatory use of electronic platforms in the public sector gradually pushes the development of a large online network of business and governmental actors, breaking down some of the barriers related to a wider use of the Internet in business [26]. Stimulated by this dematerialized environment, several e-procurement platforms have emerged in the Portuguese market providing certified e-procurement solutions, giving rise to strong competition in offering better electronic solutions, in parallel with interesting opportunities for innovative and revolutionary e-business. It is against this background that the PLAGE R&D project [63] emerges. PLAGE is an industrial R&D project led by a Portuguese e-procurement service provider, and funded by QREN — National Strategic Reference Framework, and by the private enterprises Vortal, Primavera, and Microfil. As already pointed out by Grilo and Jardim-Gonçalves [32], who presented another relevant dimension of the PLAGE platform related

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KPIs; Knowledge Fig. 2. Collaboration networks.

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Supervisor

Contractor Engineers

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Fig. 3. Common web-based collaborative network.

to the interoperability challenges, the PLAGE Platform is a system that combines three different platforms:

• the e-procurement platform from Vortal, used for e-Tendering, eAwarding and e-Ordering.

• the Microsoft SharePoint 2007, used as the business collaboration platform system and as the front-end; • the EDM Model server from Jotne EPM technology, used for BIM management and IFC model server;

The connection between the different platforms is assured by Web services, which are also used to link PLAGE to other specialized software, such as the Primavera Construction ERP Suite, IFC Engine viewer and SIAP Multicriteria analysis software.

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Fig. 4. Satellite Network model.

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Fig. 5. PLAGE platform functional architecture.

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This interoperable framework was the support for the development of a collaborative environment based on the Social e-business vision presented above, and the implementation of the proposed Satellite Network model. MS Sharepoint was used to implement the workflow, the collaboration tools and the project-oriented collaborative network structure integrating multiple network levels, proposed by the Satellite Network model. Fig. 5 shows the various levels of the PLAGE platform: • level 0, corresponding to the entering page of the PLAGE platform; • level 1, corresponding to the user's main page (requires login); • level 2, corresponding to the project's page (where each user may have a specific role), which can be accessed through the user's main page; • level 3 and above, corresponding to the satellite networks' pages, which can be created and accessed through the project's pages. This multi-level collaborative network structure enables any user to create their own work networks (satellite networks) maintaining the link to the main project's network, thus guaranteeing a projectbased logic. This inter-organizational web-based approach potentiates interaction between users and stimulates the generation of integrated online supply chain networks, in which all the actors in the supply chain may participate. The Satellite Network model was implemented using MS Sharepoint API, having developed a procedure to enable the creation of new project pages according to a predefined template, which are linked to the main project's page and identified as satellite networks of a specific project. A list of permissions is automatically created identifying the user that has initiated the process as the administrator, who will be able to invite other users and manage all the respective permissions on the satellite network created. All the information on a specific project, and relating to a specific satellite network, is then saved in the SQL server under the umbrella of the main project. One should point out that the information shared in each network (main project network or satellite networks) is, by default, only accessed by the members of the respective network, but there is the possibility of sharing files or BIM models with other registered users or with other networks. Notwithstanding, in these cases the users that will share information must have permission to do so (must have the role of “administrator” or “editor”; other levels exist such as “reader”, “limited access” and “viewer”).

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All the networks provide several Social e-business instruments, which may improve trust between companies and potentiate social capital, namely: • the company's wall, which stimulates interaction between the users of a specific company and updates the different users with the most relevant news respecting the company; • the project's wall, which allow users participating in a specific project to interact and share relevant information; • the collaborative network's wall, which is mainly geared toward interaction between the members of a specific Satellite network; • the document and multimedia sharing space, which allows easy and simple file sharing, in a user-to-public, user-to-user, and userto-network basis; • the collaborative space to manage meetings and events and share reports and minutes of meetings; • the recommendation system, which allows a specific user to recommend another user in relation to a specific experience or a specific product. The recommendation may be done using a rating or a recommendation link between products or suppliers, generating groups of products or suppliers with special affinity (the recommendations may be made on the company's wall and/or in the ecatalog); • the wiki e-catalog, which may play a significant role in the generation of more dynamic e-catalogs, potentiating social capital and a community-based approach to the shared e-catalogs. The users are able to upload their own products, respecting a predefined form, and to do aggregated or group selling; • the KPI system for project performance and relationship management. These KPIs are accessible through the main page and the project's page; • the messaging tool connected to the BIM viewer, which enables the sending of messages and files linked to specific BIM elements, thus making it possible to map information over time using the BIM model; • the multi-criteria evaluation tool, which is provided to support group decisions and proposals and products evaluation, improving SC coordination and promoting more integrated and collaborative approaches to project decisions. This tool is provided through the application store.

Project A Public Wall Project B

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Projects Private List

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Fig. 6. Private and public project information.

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Collaborative space

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All the collaboration networks supported by the PLAGE platform enable the use of two main levels of information (Public and Private) (Fig. 6). This capability allows, for instance, the sharing of public information on a specific project with an external user, using the Project's wall, while the private information is only shared with members of the project, and in accordance with their permissions. The Social e-business approach to the PLAGE platform influences the dynamic of the platform not only by providing common social networking tools, but also by creating a more collaboration-oriented environment, where common tools, such as the e-catalogs and the decision support systems, also become more collaboration oriented. For instance, the wiki e-catalog and the application store were designed so as to allow any user to share their products or services with any registered user, and also to allow the linking of products even if they are from different companies, creating groups of suppliers with any kind of affinity. This link may be by recommendation (e.g. a wood flooring supplier recommending a brand of glue) or by spatial affinity (e.g. several suppliers link their products to equip a complete hospital room). The multi-criteria analysis tool implemented, which is based on the Additive Aggregation Model [76], assumes an important role in the Social e-business vision improving coordination and decision and promoting more sustainable and integrated individual and group decisions. Within the collaborative vision presented, in which BIM may also have an important role, the PLAGE platform provides a solution to map the entire project's information using the IFC Engine viewer and MS Sharepoint. By itself the use of BIM already enhances the information management capabilities in a project, particularly concerning the information directly related to the elements of the model, but there is a significant part of the entire project's information that is not in the model, such as the messages exchanged between different actors, or the external documents that may exist, which are difficult to manage. The proposed solution connects this information with the model, creating a global information mapping system using the model as the management instrument. It is worthwhile pointing out that the proposed solution maintains the linked information outside of the model, in order to avoid overloading the BIM model, and it is the globally unique identifier (GUID) of each BIM element that assumes the role of connector between the two existing depositories, the BIM server and the SQL server (Fig. 7). The process to create the connections between messages and/or files is simple to implement and is presented in Fig. 8. Throughout the project the BIM model will become richer in information, not only because there will be more, and more detailed, information in the BIM model, but also because there will be several external

Select BIM element(s) using viewer or tree

BIM element ID will be automatically identified

connections capable of mapping the information produced and collected throughout the project in an object-oriented basis. As Fig. 9 shows, using the BIM viewer integrated in the collaborative online platform and selecting a determined BIM element it is possible to access all the information pertaining to that element, not only the information within the model but also the external information previously connected to the model (messages, files, external links, etc.). Regarding SCM, a set of tools emerge that are capable of managing the contract and creating closer relations between parties. Beyond simple cost management tools (including construction costs controlling, payments management, and bonus–malus monitoring and other tools provided by the Vortal platform), a KPI system was implemented to monitor project performance (risk analysis, cost and time overruns) and relationships. The latter is particularly relevant as it enables the generation of a reputation system particularly focused on improving trust and stimulating the generation of win–win relationships. Forthcoming work will be developing additional SCM instruments, in order to leverage the relational approach to contracts and enhance the influence of SCM on Social e-business. The PLAGE platform was validated using pilots conducted on both private and public sector projects. One of them was provided by Parque Escolar E.P.E., and focused on the design of a public school. Parque Escolar E.P.E. is the public company responsible for the national education infrastructures' projects, and has been collaborating in the research study by providing real world elements to be tested. In this pilot the BIM models for the different design phases were modeled considering different levels of detail (LODs) (Fig. 10) for each design phase, and the design process was delivered in an integrated way, stimulating maximum collaboration between different actors and guaranteeing that all the information was distributed using the PLAGE platform. The Social e-business tools were tested and implemented in a broader way by the research team, who have uploaded information about the project, the companies, the users, and the products, and stimulated the generation of additional information and interaction, in parallel with the real project's participants. 5. Discussion of results The PLAGE Platform has provided successful results for the design phase of building and engineering projects. The parties involved have considered the instruments provided by the PLAGE platform opportune and useful, and have referred the importance of stimulating increasingly collaborative and relational approaches to projects, where communication and transparency is leveraged to a higher level. The satellite networks were seen as an interesting feature, which would permit bringing the entire supply chain online, and

Select option to send message or/and to upload file

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Fig. 8. Procedure for linking external information to BIM.

Message or/and file is stored on a SQL server

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Select BIM element using viewer or tree

BIM element ID will be automatically identified

Select option to map project’s information

System will search for the ID reference in the SQL server

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All the results are presented automatically

Fig. 9. Procedure for searching for BIM-based external information.

would stimulate the development of a large network of online users. In this context, the reputation system has been highlighted as a useful tool in filtering the network of suppliers and stimulating the delivery of better performances, although to be fully operational it was stated that large amounts of data would be needed. The development of additional Key Performance Indicators has been proposed, in order to improve SCM capabilities, particularly respecting the monitoring of costs based on BIM, and the calculation of time and cost impacts due to changes in the models. Some problems have been pinpointed on the platform, particularly regarding the interoperability of the IFC format, which has lost some of the information included on the original proprietary format models. Concerning the BIM viewer and the related messages tool, which allows for the sending of messages and files relating to elements of the model, and despite the recognized potential, it was pointed out that when a new model was uploaded the information remained in the old model, which was not the desirable solution (preferably the system should enable a comparison between both models and consecutive information transposition). Respecting the wiki e-catalog, it is relevant to say that although the system has worked correctly, allowing the users to upload their own list of products and establish links to other products, the predefined forms were not sufficiently standardized in order to assure the upload of relevant and comparable information about the products. As is understandable, further developments should be made regarding several issues, particularly with a view to improving the BIM messaging tool, the standardization of the e-catalogs, and the SCM instruments, especially the BIM-oriented ones. However, the social approach to e-business has shown good acceptance and has stimulated increased interaction between users, not only regarding the quantity of information shared, but also concerning the interaction and sharing frequency. 6. Conclusions Social e-business refers to an innovative e-business vision that aims to emphasize the role of social capital and social networking within the SC and exploit the most recent collaborative technologies in order to create a highly collaborative environment, very much based on relationships management and companies' reputations. In this context, SCs are seen as complex systems that transcend organizational boundaries and recognize interdependencies among individual enterprises. Using the PLAGE platform case study, it was possible to provide a preliminary approach to this concept, where economic and social capital may be leveraged and collaboration may be potentiated. The electronic instruments implemented were able to create interesting synergies between different actors and encouraging results were identified

concerning the opportunity for a Social e-business platform integrating BIM. Furthermore, the Satellite Network model, which was successfully implemented in the PLAGE platform, was able to exploit SC integration and collaboration in a project-based collaborative platform. Nevertheless, the true benefits of a networked organization or a network of collaborative organizations are only fully realized when players recognize the managerial and economic benefits of having an interdependent, trust-based, flexible, and win–win vision [2]. Organizations should see Social e-business platforms as an effective instrument to enhance relationships and generate social and economic capital, and SCM should be gradually implemented in order to support this integrated vision on SCs, monitor relationships, contracts, and performance. Several challenges have been identified and further work may be carried out in order to improve interoperability, SCM and relationships enhancement. Acknowledgments The R&D project PLAGE is carried out by Vortal S.A., Microfil S.A., Primavera BSS S.A., CESUR from Instituto Superior Técnico — Technical University of Lisbon, and UNIDEMI from Faculty of Science and Technology — New University of Lisbon, whereby Vortal S.A. is the head of the project. This project is co-funded by QREN — National Strategic Reference Framework, using National and European Commission resources, and also cofunded by the three aforementioned companies. The authors are members of the PLAGE team and have been particularly involved in the development of the research work presented herein. References [1] Decree-Law 18/2008 — Código dos Contratos Públicos (Public Procurement Code), Vol. 20–29, Diário da República, 1.ª Série, Portugal, 2008. [2] R. Achrol, Changes in the theory of interorganizational relations in marketing: toward a network paradigm, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science 25 (1) (1997) 56–71. [3] R. Agarwal, A.K. Gupta, R. Kraut, Editorial overview: the interplay between digital and social networks, Information Systems Research 19 (3) (2008) 243–252. [4] AIA, Integrated project delivery: a guide,available online at, www.aia.org/ipdg 2007:(accessed 20/06/2011). [5] M. Alshawi, B. Ingirige, Web-enabled project management: an emerging paradigm in construction, Automation in Construction 12 (4) (2003) 349–364. [6] C.J. Anumba, K. Ruikar, Electronic commerce in construction: trends and prospects, Automation in Construction 11 (3) (2002) 265–275. [7] Asite, Asite electronic platform,available online at, www.asite.com (accessed 20/06/2011). [8] M. Azambuja, W.J. O'Brien, Construction supply chain modeling: issues and perspectives, in: W.J. O'Brien, C.T. Formoso, R. Vrijhoef, K.A. London (Eds.), Construction Supply Chain Management Handbook, Vol. 1, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, USA, 2009. [9] G. Ballard, Lean project delivery system available online at, White Paper No.8, 2000 http://www.leanconstruction.org/pdf/WP8-LPDS.pdf (accessed 20/06/2011). [10] M. Barratt, Understanding the meaning of collaboration in the supply chain, Supply Chain Management: An International Journal 9 (1) (2004) 30–42.

Fig. 10. BIM models respecting different levels of detail (LOD100, LOD200 and LOD300, from left to right).

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