A reflexive capability model for sustainable e-business environments in construction supply chains

Despite the increasing significance of e-business worldwide and construction market leaders developing innovative e-business applications, the widespread uptake in the Australian construction industry is lagging. There has been considerable literature related to e-business adoption focusing on drivers and barriers to adoption. However, there has not been an investigation that has applied fundamental supply chain theory concepts. In this paper a reflexive capability model for the individual firm in relation to e-business is developed which relies upon merging economic and social practices through an industrial organization economic theoretical lens and social science theories of communication. The reflexive<br />capability model proposed within this paper describes a framework for theorization of the different degrees of e-business adoption exhibited by individual firm’s and accounts for social-cultural, organisational-structural, communicative and economic (market and supply<br />chain) barriers, influences and pressures to adopt e-business.The model is proposed for the construction supply chain to enable awareness, engagement and realization of e-business technology and achieve long term construction e-business sustainability.<br />