Allan S. Douglas

Management Information System (MIS) Modelling for Construction: Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)

 

Nationality: British

Year of entry: 2006

Status: Full Time

Research area: Information Modelling

Research group: Information Management Innovation (IMI)

Research topic: Management Information System (MIS) Modelling for Construction: Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

Research supervisors: Professor David Greenwood, Professor David Wainwright

Background and Experience:

• MSc Project Management, with Commendation, 2007 (Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, England)
• Facilities Manager/Project Manager/Change Manager, 2001-2006 (Haden Building Management Ltd, Gateshead, England)
• Administration/Customer Service, 2001 (Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland)
• Retail/Customer Service, 1999-2001 (Marks and Spencer Ltd, Edinburgh, Scotland)
• BSc Industrial and Business Studies, 1999 (Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh,  Scotland)
• BEng Manufacturing Engineering with Management, 1994-1995 (Brunel University, Uxbridge, England)
• Mechanical Engineering Draughtsman, 1988-1994 (Heat and Control Ltd, Bathgate, Scotland)
• HNC Mechanical Engineering, 1992 (West Lothian College of Further Education, Bathgate, Scotland)
  

Before joining Northumbria University, I had employment as a draughtsman, retail worker, contract manager, business transformation trainer and contract measurement coordinator. I have always enjoyed work that covers many areas and can’t really be easily labelled or categorised. I like working with people at all levels of an organisation or project, as you have to become aware of different views of specific issues.

Research description:

The primary aim of this research project is to model the creation of a Management Information System Model for Construction SMEs with a view to implementing ICT solutions. To accomplish this, a number of objectives have been identified as integral to the project. These include the formulation of a model that outlines business processes in Construction SMEs and a review of current SME business process models in both the construction and other industries. The outputs from this project will include the effective dissemination and adaption of current innovative and technical work for large organisations down to the level of most construction sector SMEs and the publication of refereed, academic papers in order to disseminate key findings to academic audiences.

Publications:

Wainwright, D.W., Douglas, A.S. and Greenwood, D.J. (2010) The Dynamics of IT Supplier Relationships with Construction SMEs: a Technological Frames Approach, in Proceedings of the 15th UKAIS Annual Conference, “Information Systems: Past, Present and Looking to the Future, Oriel College, University of Oxford, UK, March 23rd – 24th, 2010.

Douglas, A.S., Wainwright, D.W. and Greenwood, D.J. (2009) Intranet Adoption In A Construction SME: So What Actually Happened? , in Proceedings of the 14th UKAIS Annual Conference, “Positive Information Systems, St Anne’s College, University of Oxford, UK, March 30th – April 1st, 2009.

Collier, C. & Douglas, A. S. (2008) The Birth of the Virtual Timesheet: Creating a Comprehensive ICT Solution for Construction SMEs, in Construction Information Quarterly, Vol 10,Issue 1, 2008, p 30, Berkshire: CIOB.

Douglas, A.S., Greenwood, D.J., and Wainwright, D.W. (2008) Information Technology And Support Systems – How Do SMEs Approach Their Implementation? in A. Dainty (Ed), 24th Annual ARCOM Conference, Cardiff, UK, September 1st – 3rd, 2008.

Douglas, A.S., Greenwood, D.J. and Wainwright, D.W. (2008) ICT Systems and Construction SMEs – a case study of adoption and implementation, in Proceedings of the BuHu ( The research institute for the built and human environment) 8th International Postgraduate Research Conference, The Czech Technical University of Prague (CVUT), Czech Republic, 26th – 27th June, 2008.

Douglas, A.S., Wainwright, D.W. and Greenwood, D.J. (2008) ICT Systems and Construction SMEs – a case study of issues related to adoption, in Proceedings of the 13th UKAIS Annual Conference, “the Scope of Information Systems: Perspectives from Academia and Practice, Bournemouth University, UK, April 10th – 11th , 2008.