Technology management in construction: Lessons for the practice of architecture

Abstract

The relevance of managing technology to architectural practices in South African construction cannot be overemphasised. As major stakeholders in the construction industry with particular significant contributions in the property sector, practising architects cannot afford not to exploit old technologies, and embrace new technologies with a view to improving their business and competitiveness.
The thrust of the issue addressed in this article is the assessment of the status accorded to issues relating to technology in the form of a technology audit and/or management in architectural practices. In furtherance of this issue, a quantitative survey was conducted among Eastern Cape-based South African Council for the Architectural Profession (SACAP) registered architects. Selected findings include that respondents perceived that there are no barriers to communication in organisations as technology does not only form part of the organisational business strategy, but also benefits project partners during implementation. In addition, with the use of office technologies, management is able to forecast and plan future requirements for their practices, while marketing-related technologies allow the closing of identified performance gaps as well as the development of best practices by the firms. Therefore, periodical technology audits are recommended for practices intending to remain competitive in the market.

Keywords: Architectural practice, technology audit, South Africa

Die relevansie van tegnologiebestuur vir argitektuurpraktyke in Suid-Afrikaanse konstruksie kan nie genoeg beklemtoon word nie. As hoofaandeelhouers in die konstruksie-industrie met spesifieke bydraes tot die eiendomsektor, kan praktiserende argitekte nie bekostig om nie ou tegnologie te benut, en nuwe tegnologie te omarm met ‘n visie om hul besighede en bekwaamheid te verbeter.
Die dryfkrag van die saak wat in hierdie artikel aangespreek is, is die assessering van die status toegeken aan sake betreffende tegnologie in die vorm van ‘n tegnologiese oudit en/of die bestuur in argitekspraktyke. In bevordering van die saak, is ‘n kwantitatiewe opname gedoen onder argitekte van die Suid-Afrikaanse Raad vir die Argiteksprofessie (SARAP) gebaseer in die Oos Kaap. Bevindinge sluit in dat respondente ervaar dat daar geen struikelblokke in kommunikasie in organisasies is nie, omdat tegnologie nie alleen deel vorm van die organisatoriese besigheidstrategie nie, maar dit ook projekvennote gedurende implementering bevoordeel. In aansluiting hierby, met die gebruik van kantoortegnologie, is bestuur in staat om vooruitskattings en toekomstige vereistes vir hul praktyke te beplan terwyl bemarkingsverwante tegnologie die sluiting van geïdentifiseerde prestasiegapings asook die ontwikkeling van beste praktyk by die firmas toelaat. Daarom word periodieke tegnologie oudits
aanbeveel vir praktyke om mededingend in die mark te bly.

Sleutelwoorde: Argitekspraktyke, tegnologie oudit, Suid-Afrika