uilding Information Modelling (BIM) is considered an innovation for construction, with the potential to digitise various construction processes. Being an innovation, it affects and is affected by organisational aspects. At the same time, innovations are better observed at a project level. This study connects intra- and inter- organisational levels mobilised during BIM implementation. To explore the relation between BIM motivation and capabilities within firms and BIM implementation in projects, three case studies are analysed through the theoretical lens of loosely coupled systems. The results showed that despite the fact that the firms had strong external or internal BIM motivations and visions, at a network level, they rarely coordinated to support BIM implementation. To this end, the multi-actor networks of projects where firms were motivated by ‘internal’ drivers (e.g. quality assurance) for adopting BIM implemented BIM in a more collaborative and flexible way. On the contrary, networks of firms that were driven to BIM to comply with ‘external’ demand (e.g. macroscopic market pressures or client demand), were largely rigid and competitive during BIM implementation and did not allow for knowledge transfer. Drawing upon the empirical data other factors affecting mature BIM implementation and in need for further inter-organisational alignment were corporate compatibility, inter-firm knowledge mobility, and power dynamics among firms.@en

Digitizing buildings via building information modelling (BIM) is increasingly gaining traction in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) sector. The plethora of BIM-based technologies affects both inter- and intra-organizational relations. Structured inter-organizational networks across tiers, such as supply chain (SC) partnerships were used to examine how BIM affects these changing relations across and within firms’ boundaries. Empirical explorations around the interplay between BIM and SC partnering – as a proxy for supply chain management (SCM) philosophy – were deployed to assess their contribution to SC integration, and to investigate the functions of key actors in AEC. One young and one long-standing SC partnership were studied, and it was observed that the contractual arrangements had to be complemented by well-defined BIM scope, and communications across multiple tiers to built trust and support collaboration in the network. There were two types of BIM-enabled SC partnering: with emphasis on either transactions or relations, the former being merely operational whereas the latter strategic. These inter-organizational orientations of BIM-enabled SC partnering outlined further intra-organizational conditions for integration regarding functional division, business models and services offered. The study carries implications for BIM and SCM researchers, policy-makers and practitioners, and proposes strategies for SC integration by aligning intra- with inter-organizational relations.

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In projects with Building Information Modelling (BIM), the collaboration among the various actors is a very intricate and intensive process. The various suppliers and engineers provide their input in Industry Foundation Classes (IFC), which in turn is used for design coordination. However, the IFCs have to undergo an intermediate checking process to ensure compliance with various client-set and technical requirements. The paper focuses on the potential of (semi-)automatic IFC compliance checks and discusses a relevant recent initiative in the Netherlands, according to which several IFC compliance criteria were agreed among 14 contractors. This study aims to unravel the changes induced by this development not only as to the IFC compliance checks, but also as to potentially balancing the roles between the BIM coordinator and the suppliers.@en

Supply Chain Management (SCM) and Building Information Modelling (BIM) are seen as innovations that can manage complexities in construction by focusing on integrating processes and products respectively. Whereas these two innovations have been considered compatible, their practical combination has been mainly anecdotal. The Netherlands was the locale of this study, where both SCM and BIM have been popular approaches. The research objective is to explore their real-world combination and propose strategies for the alignment of SCM and BIM, by viewing Supply Chain (SC) partnering as the inter-organisational proxy of SCM. The main question is: “How to align the SCM philosophy with BIM technologies to achieve integration in the construction industry? What aspects contribute to this alignment?”. The methodology was mixed and both qualitative and quantitative data were analysed. The overarching method was case study research and the unit of analysis was the firm, also referred to as ‘actor’. After a semi-chronological review of the relevant literature, the two constructs of SCM and BIM were found interdependent in product-, process-, and actor-related (P/P/A) dimensions. The study consisted of four other consecutive studies. First, empirical insights into the practical implementation of SC partnering and BIM were obtained via the exploration of five cases. Second, a conceptual model for the quantitative analysis of the product-, process-, and actor-related dimensions was designed. Third, this model and mixed methods were applied to two polar (extreme) cases to analyse the contractual (typically SC-related), digital (typically BIM-related), and informal interactions among the involved actors. Fourth, an additional theoretical exploration of the BIM-enabled SC partnerships took place with focusing also on intra-organisational relations within the involved firms. After the four studies, the findings were systematically combined to create the theoretical synthesis, i.e. generate theory. Three consecutive steps of ‘construct’, ‘internal’, and ‘external’ validity took place after the synthesis, to define the transferability of findings. The systematic combination of findings deduced two routes to achieve SC integration in construction: (a) product-related (emphasis on BIM tools), and (b) actor-related (emphasis on SCM philosophy). The two observed routes to SC integration emerged from the data of the polar cases. Two complementary sets of strategies for SC integration were derived afterwards. These strategies could ease the identification of which route is the ‘closest fit’ to SC integration, and then support the decision-making of how to pursue it. As the concept of BIM is currently a hot topic, it might be wise to undertake a ‘product-related’ route to integration and gradually introduce strategies from the ‘actor-related’ route. However, the ‘actor-related’ route could attain long-term integration and thus, long-lasting relations among the multi-actor networks. The key aspects of the alignment of partnering with construction IT for BIM-enabled SC partnerships are: - The identification of whether the SC complexity is of process-, product- or actor-related nature; - The deployed BIM collaboration patterns, i.e. ad-hoc, linear or distributed; - The SC coordination mechanisms, e.g. centralised or decentralised; - The relation between formal and informal aspects, e.g. symmetric or asymmetric; - The emerging intra-organisational relations due to BIM and SCM implementation; - The hierarchical level that BIM-enabled SC partnership decision-making pertains. As the construction industry evolves into an information-driven sector, the alignment of construction IT with inter-organisational management is preeminent for managing the inherent complexities of the industry. In parallel, embracing inter-organisational approaches for information management such as BIM is a promisingway forward for SCM and construction management.@en

BIM implementation can affect the project coordination mechanisms in unexpected ways, even in widely-applied project procurement structures. Apart from the chosen procurement approach, the BIM technology and the distribution of roles in the project team influence and shape the project coordination. This paper aims to explore the emerging coordination structures and processes from BIM implementation in design-build procurement. An exploratory comparative case study has been undertaken. The findings included two main coordination mechanisms: a centralized and decentralized structure and a hierarchical ver-sus participative decision-making processes. These two patterns subsequently open a debate about the rela-tions between BIM implementation and business models in AEC and particularly the emergence of specialized all-around BIM firms versus BIM-knowledgeable engineering firms.@en

Various procurement methods have been proposed as being more appropriate for implementing BIM. Simultaneously, BIM implementation affects the project coordination. Whereas many approaches to BIM implementation have considered integrated procurement, not all are applicable to various local markets. Particularly in the Netherlands, BIM implementation is characterized by 'ground-up' and self-regulated initiatives. This paper aims to explore and identify the relationship between design-build procurement and the emerging coordination structures from BIM. Exploratory case study research has been undertaken. The findings included two main coordination structures: centralized and decentralized. These two structures subsequently carry implications for various construction firms and their respective business models, as well as BIM implementation in general.@en

The inter-organisational collaboration with Building Information Modelling (BIM) is one of the hottest topics in construction sector nowadays. The implementation of BIM is a complex inter-organisational process, and the sharing of information among numerous actors from multi-disciplinary backgrounds may affect the actors’ role perception and performance. This study offers insights into the BIM roles of various actors by analysing a BIM-based project carried out by an integrated partnership across many tiers. The analysis identified inconsistencies between the actors' perceptions and their partners’ expectations of their BIM roles. Inconsistencies in BIM roles were more related to soft rather than hard (domain- or technical) skills. Mismatches were found in the architect's role, as it was deemed necessary to be more domain- and BIM-related, contrary to their perceptions. Likewise, the suppliers' role called for an enhanced BIM orientation. The paper concludes with set of suggestions for increasing the joint responsibility and supporting the multi-actor collaboration.@en

Building Information Modelling (BIM) technology and the concept of supply chain management (SCM) could be a potentially compatible and mutually interdependent practice. The existing research on BIM focuses on improving project-based and intra-organisational goals, ignoring the impact of BIM on existing structured long-term Supply Chain (SC) partnerships. The purpose of this study is to explore the interdependences of BIM and cross-project long-term inter-organisational teams. Five projects in the Netherlands, with BIM and SCM implementation, were analysed empirically using case study methods, including interviews, documents analysis and live observations. The BIM-enabled SC partnerships adopted various SCM practices and displayed distinct BIM collaboration patterns. This exploration revealed three main patterns of BIM-based collaboration, that is, ad-hoc, linear and distributed, in the SC partnerships. The three patterns included various quasi-contractual, physical and digital means for BIM collaboration. The study suggests implications about BIM researchers and practitioners for not only implementing BIM, but also further integrating the construction SC.@en

Various procurement methods have been proposed as being more appropriate for implementing BIM. Simultaneously, BIM implementation affects the project coordination. Whereas many approaches to BIM implementation have considered integrated procurement, not all are applicable to various local markets. Particularly in the Netherlands, BIM implementation is characterized by 'ground-up' and self-regulated initiatives. This paper aims to explore and identify the relationship between design-build procurement and the emerging coordination structures from BIM. Exploratory case study research has been undertaken. The findings included two main coordination structures: centralized and decentralized. These two structures subsequently carry implications for various construction firms and their respective business models, as well as BIM implementation in general.

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This paper explored the status of BIM adoption in construction Supply Chains (SC). The benefits of BIM are found from design management, to virtual construction and site management. The study is structured upon the assumption that BIM not only supports intra-firm collaboration, but also improves inter-firm collaboration in projects with SC management (SCM) application. Next, a set of real-world SCM projects was analysed empirically via interviews and questionnaires. These BIM-based SCM projects displayed various degrees of SC team integration and BIM collaboration routines. The multi-case analysis suggested that BIM-readiness was a significant parameter for choosing partners and forming the SC partnership. Finally, the paper compared various levels of BIM collaboration to SC maturity and discussed the benefits and lessons learned from combining BIM technology and SCM theory.@en

This paper proposes a model to integrate the construction Supply Chain (SC) through Building Information Modelling (BIM). The various information flows in the construction SC are vague. BIM is an aspiring integrator of information that could potentially improve such multi-disciplinary information flows. The paper presents a method to bridge information gaps and integrate the team using BIM-based SC modelling. After a literature review, the modelling method is presented. The model merges product and process models to social networks in a graph-based framework to represent a BIM-enabled SC. Although, BIM-enabled SC Management (SCM) is not widely applied, there is increasing interest from many stakeholders to engage in both BIM and SCM. The paper uses a real-world case as a proof of concept. The model analyses the actors’ interactions, identifies bottlenecks and increases the collective understanding about the project.@en

In this paper we examine the utilisation of Building Information Modelling (BIM) as a Project Management (PM) tool. Utilisation is the result of the dividing the actual by the potential output of a system. For our analysis, we review the literature on BIM as PM tool to discover the potential output of BIM as a management tool. Next, we review the software implementations of PM tools for BIM, to estimate the actual output of BIM for PM. We show that the utilisation of BIM for PM is high in areas such as information management and performance management. However, in design and construction management, the synergy between BIM and PM is not coherently theoritised and implemented. We conclude by proposing directions for the full implementation of this potential for both academia and industry.@en

This research looks at the area of modelling Supply Chains (SC) in the construction industry. SCs are complex operational and social systems. Currently, no formal modelling approach exists for SC research in construction.We review the existing product and process modelling developments and show a gap in the use of modelling for all organisational aspects of the SC. This lack of organisational focus undermines the efforts for a global model of the construction industry. In our research, we also present a conceptual framework and how it behaves in a case study in progress. The proposed SC model links the product, process and organisational aspects of the SC with the use of graph theory. By comparing it to the relevant research, we highlight the applicability and the outcome of our conceptual SC model.We are implementing it in an actual case, to receive first data.@en

The paper presents the findings of a systematic literature review of approximately 200 scientific sources. It is designed with the aim to identify the current benefits and factors of high performance in Architecture, Engineering, Construction (AEC) since the introduction of Building Information Modelling (BIM). We formed and confirmed two main propositions associating the performance of the AEC to the use of BIM. The mapping of the current impact and benefits of BIM showed that the role of the managers, suppliers, owners and authorities is underestimated, as well as the initiation and use stage of project development. At the same time, the performance in the AEC industry can be improved by an array of possibilities where IT research and policy-making authorities contribute ¿ from establishing new collaboration protocols until improving existing or creating new BIM tools.@en

The paper presents the findings of a systematic literature review of approximately 200 scientific sources. It is designed with the aim to identify the current benefits and factors of high performance in Architecture, Engineering, Construction (AEC) since the introduction of Building Information Modelling (BIM). We formed and confirmed two main propositions associating the performance of the AEC to the use of BIM. The mapping of the current impact and benefits of BIM showed that the role of the managers, suppliers, owners and authorities is underestimated, as well as the initiation and use stage of project development. At the same time, the performance in the AEC industry can be improved by an array of possibilities where IT research and policy-making authorities contribute – from establishing new collaboration protocols until improving existing or creating new BIM tools.

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