- Business-To-Administration (B2A)
This category is probably the least established of the four but does have the potential for growth, especially with government initiatives. An example of this is the department of environment transport and regions (DETR) web site that includes the United Kingdom government initiatives with key players form the construction industry.
Bidcom United Kingdom ()
This site and the following are competitive sites. This web site is specifically for Business-To-Administration E-Commerce. The site sells methods of project management that can be learnt in the following way. The site offers a comprehensive line of software and hardware for computers and even training seminars.
Buildonline ()
Unlike the above web site this site I believe is suitable for both Business-To-Administration E-Commerce and Business-To-Business E-Commerce. The web site has a completely different approach to the previous web site. Instead of being so serious it has a lighthearted approach. For example the opening web page says “How to… build better teamwork, tendering process etc. which to me has a light hearted approach about it. This web site only sells software products and does not offer any training.
- Consumer-To-Administration (C2A)
This category has only evolved over the last couple of years so I was unable to locate any sites. One of the new government initiatives is to see that all United Kingdom Citizens have access to the Internet by 2005. An example of this is e-voting applications, information about public services and health, e-democracy.
There are other forms of E-Commerce like e-auctions and Administration-To-Administration (e.g. the government exchanging documents and data to conduct business transactions).
Internet and Business Benefits For E-Commerce
E-Commerce is suited to the internet because of increased connectivity, global reach, reduced cost of communication, lower transaction costs, enhanced coordination and collaboration, accelerated distribution of knowledge, reduced agency fees, interactivity and flexibility. E-Commerce brings many benefits to businesses such as improved level of customer services, customer feedback, shorter delivery times, reduced cost of delivery, reduced cost of advertising, reduction in design and manufacturing costs, widening market potential, more opportunity for Niche marketing, and equal access to markets and access to new markets.
E-Commerce and Construction
E-Commerce can greatly and has greatly improved the construction industry. It’s greatest improvement is saving time and money on construction projects. As construction projects involve several participants, i.e. the client, architect, quantity surveyor, engineers and subcontractors traditional means of communication paper documents and data have become tedious. E-Commerce already features in construction in the form of company promotion, product promotion, e-procurement, project management, online tendering and online project collaboration.
Electronic Data Interchange In Construction (EDI)
Earlier in this introduction I mentioned methods to carry out e-commerce by e-mail, file transfers, fax and videoconference, which are self explanatory, but EDI isn’t. EDI stands for Electronic Data Interchange and involves the exchange of routine business documents from computer to computer in a standard format between companies. Another definition is a method of electronic communication that facilitates the exchange and processing of high volumes of business data from one computer to another all without the use of paper. EDI offers a direct flow of data between computer software at either end of both computers can decode this data into a format useful to its end users and it eliminates the time and data entry that is associated with paper based transactions. Here are two examples of web sites providing this facility.
BIW Technologies ()
This is a Business-To-Business E-Commerce. It provides the ability for companies. To collaborate on a project online. BIW Technologies offer the safest communication in this line of work, online.
Buzzsaw ()
Buzzsaw is in exactly the same line of work as BIW Technologies but Buzzsaw lead the way. The web site is a Business-To-Business E-Commerce. Buzzsaw offer to manage, distribute, print and share all project related documents and drawings in one secure location.
EDI has two main benefits strategic and operational: -
- Strategic Benefits
It offers a faster trading cycle and reduced order time. This means the period between sending and receiving an order is greatly reduced. By using EDI the business can adopt new business processes like just in time (JIT) manufacturing techniques. EDI enhances the company’s ability to win new business and retain existing customers. An example of this is , which is a home improvement directory and offers home improvement contractors to prospective consumers. The final strategic benefit is the ability to respond to highly competitive new market entrants and compete with established companies. An example of this is versus toys r us, etoys.com have lower overheads so they can reduce the price of their toys.
- Operational Benefits
The first operational benefit is reduced costs, which occur from no paper and postage costs, time between receipt and implementation of an order being reduced and scheduling information being transmitted with the ordering data. Manufacturing companies can plan the production more accurately, hence, cost saving. The cash flow is greatly improved under EDI with EFT (Electronic Fund Transfer) which is a electronic transfer value tool, EFT also compliments EDI allowing partners to improve financial management and with EFT payments arrive on the date agreed and not 2-4 days following postage EDI brings with it reduced errors as information never has to be received or copied. Also EDI can be integrated with the companies current system avoiding re-input data, eliminating possible error and reducing time. One of The greatest things about EDI is when a message is received a message is sent back to the sender confirming its arrival. This is the equivalent to a postal registered mail.
As well as strategic and operational benefits there are opportunity benefits to EDI. The first is enhanced image and competitive edge. This is all about time saving as transactions take minutes instead of days improving the company’s image. By introducing EDI improved corporate trading relationships occur. EDI transactions are carried out between trading partners, hence a closer working environment can occur. EDI allows all of a company’s communications to occur in one single transmission.
EDI Components
In order for a company to introduce EDI they will require four basic components: -
- Hardware
Commercial EDI software is flexible enough to work with many configurations of computers like personal computers, minicomputers and mainframes.
- Standards
This is the structure in which the data will be sent to the receiver and an agreement must be settled. EDI defines the rules of how the message is assembled for exchange.
- Software
Once the standard has been arranged for the message it is the software that translates the data. Once the data is translated, users can access different formats of the information from their computer. The data is changed into a language called XML extensible mark-up, which is used specifically for the Internet. HTML unlike XML only affects the display format of the document when XML describes the document structure and links it to multiple documents. The advantages of XML are that it can be used with and without the web and is a general-purpose language that describes the structure of a document and supports links to multiple documents. Allowing data to be implemented.
- Communication Components
This is the most essential component, as without a communication device the EDI message wouldn’t be sent. There are two ways of transmission.
- Point-To-Point Communication
- Third Party Networks (VAN)
VAN is a multi-path, data only, and third party managed network used by multiple organisations. VAN has many benefits and here are a few. It facilitates inter-organisational communications, provides an established mail box for each partner that employs its services, insures that the data sent is stored in the receivers mail box, until it is picked up, provides security controls to ensure data integrity, offers back-up to information, security and password protection.
The Information Channel
In order to link all the appropriate companies together, a necessary information channel must be put into place. An information channel is an online collaboration tool that will help the building industry collaborate with their partners and clients using web technologies. There are two types of information channel spider web and hub centric communication network. An information channel comprises of a company server with a series of databases (main and clients). The main database holds information about the channel users (login, access rights, etc). The client databases are linked to the individual client’s servers, which in turn holds a series of project databases. The project database is unique to a particular project for the client the information channel can be operated from any web browser. The front end of an operation channel comprises of: -
- Channels
Those with proper authority can log on. The administrator of the channel decides who gets access.
- Headlines Page
Shows a summary of the latest information.
- Project Notices
This is an online headlines page that informs the user of any issues of information.
- New Drawings List
This allows any documents/drawings to be updated or removed from the project. View and download drawings with no specialised software.
- Comments On Drawings
- Project Team Directory
Lists the users who have access to the project. It works like a directory of information (company name, company background, services, contact details etc).
Intelligent Components
Information channels create permanent databases of project drawings and documents. Intelligent components have the same advantage but only in relation to the content of the document. Intelligent components can learn from themselves as the project progresses. Intelligent components are made up of three other interactive databases besides the information channel databases.
- Supplier Products Database
This will allow both manufacturers and suppliers top maintain their data over the Internet. The product information can be easily updates. Also it will be easy to classify the products like dimensions, finishes etc.
- Generic Design Database
This consists of a symbolic representation of the object in terms of size, shape etc. Its size, shape etc correspond to those of the real object.
- CAD and Other Application Environment’s Database
In this database CAD and other application environments are used to design drawings. The project team can attach all sorts of information to the CAD object.