Iraqi construction industry digitalization: Trends, opportunities and challenges (original) (raw)
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Construction economics and building, 2023
Construction organizations are moving toward adopting digitalization in response to Industry 4.0. However, the slow adoption of digitalization has been observed. This study aimed to assess the level of digitalization adoption and evaluate the barriers to adopting digitalization in the Jordanian construction industry by all project parties in the public and private sectors. Data was collected from 438 replies from construction practitioners through a structured questionnaire. The study targets were achieved by analysing data using SPSS software through the following statistical tests: Normality test, Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis H, and Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA). Most respondents used software at the design stage, and less than half did not use any software during the finishing stage. Regarding the barriers, twenty barriers to adopting digitalization were identified and grouped into five factors according to their importance: barriers related to the nature and system of the construction company, barriers related to the project parties, financial barriers, barriers related to system characteristics, and barriers related to construction project characteristics. Decision-makers should take the necessary measures to overcome such barriers depending on their importance. Previous studies have focused on the contractor's adoption of digitalization while neglecting other parties. This contributed to the full adoption of digitalization from the contractor side, with a DECLARATION OF CONFLICTING INTEREST The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. FUNDING The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. noticeable delay from other project parties. This study focused on revealing the most critical barriers to adopting digitalization in the Jordanian construction industry from all project parties' perspectives based on their ranks. Furthermore, the study recommends effective strategies to overcome barriers as an update of past research.
Construction Economics and Building, 2023
Construction organizations are moving toward adopting digitalization in response to Industry 4.0. However, the slow adoption of digitalization has been observed. This study aimed to assess the level of digitalization adoption and evaluate the barriers to adopting digitalization in the Jordanian construction industry by all project parties in the public and private sectors. Data was collected from 438 replies from construction practitioners through a structured questionnaire. The study targets were achieved by analysing data using SPSS software through the following statistical tests: Normality test, MannWhitney U, Kruskal-Wallis H, and Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA). Most respondents used software at the design stage, and less than half did not use any software during the finishing stage. Regarding the barriers, twenty barriers to adopting digitalization were identified and grouped into five factors according to their importance: barriers related to the nature and system of the construction company, barriers related to the project parties, financial barriers, barriers related to system characteristics, and barriers related to construction project characteristics. Decision-makers should take the necessary measures to overcome such barriers depending on their importance. Previous studies have focused on the contractor’s adoption of digitalization while neglecting other parties. This contributed to the full adoption of digitalization from the contractor side, with a noticeable delay from other project parties. This study focused on revealing the most critical barriers to adopting digitalization in the Jordanian construction industry from all project parties’ perspectives based on their ranks. Furthermore, the study recommends effective strategies to overcome barriers as an update of past research
Good Practices and Recommendations for Success in Construction Digitalization
TEM Journal, 2020
Constantly increasing competition and challenges for construction enterprises in combination with the rapid development of information and communication technologies require digitalization of business processes related to this industry. The purpose of this research paper is to present analysis of good practices and recommendations for success in construction digitalization. Some common features of modern digitalization in the sector are outlined. Different approaches to digitalization and types of governance models that relate to these approaches are distinguished. Based on researched good practices for digitalization, a set of factors is derived, related to its potential for success. Guidelines for companies to follow in order to increase their chances of successful digitalization are proposed. The main method of analysis is content analysis of scientific publications and expert opinions of specialists from construction area.
Investigating Adoption of Digital Technologies in Construction Projects
Linköping Studies in Science and Technology. Licentiate Thesis
This thesis investigates the adoption of digital technologies to improve logistics processes in construction projects. The focus is on the main contractor firms and construction projects, but first-tier suppliers, transportation firms, and technology vendors are also considered. The logistics processes that are studied are order-to-delivery processes and onsite logistics. Order-to-delivery processes and on-site logistics play a critical role in ensuring the availability of goods for the construction process, in the right amount and time, at the right location, and without damage. Inefficient logistics processes that do not support construction projects with the right resources (materials, tools, and machinery) are one reason for low construction project performance. Inefficient logistics processes cause disruptions to construction projects, such as material stockouts, material surpluses, unavailability, idle waiting and searching time, and waste (e.g., damages). On a larger scale, inefficient logistics processes cause significant project delays and cost overruns. Therefore, improving logistics processes can improve construction project performance. To address the inefficiencies of logistics processes, main contractor firms face increased pressure to adopt digital technologies. It is known that adopting digital technologies can improve communication between project stakeholders, construction automation, and data acquisition, visualization, and analytics. The adoption of digital technologies has also been reported to improve the construction process, such as design, production, logistics, and procurement of materials and services. However, the adoption of digital technologies is a complex and inter-organizational process, and the industry's decentralized, project-driven nature makes many efforts ad hoc and one-of-a-kind endeavors. Moreover, there needs to be more clarity in the path of digital technology adoption for increasing construction project performance. A knowledge gap in this context has been a lack of actionable recommendations to practitioners, such as main contractor firms. Therefore, the purpose of this thesis is to formulate recommendations for the adoption of digital technologies that enable the main contractor firms to improve logistics processes. Based on this, the following research questions guide the research: RQ1: What are the drivers and barriers for the adoption of digital technologies at the project level from a main contractor perspective? RQ2: What are the effects on logistics processes when adopting digital technologies in construction projects?
Implications of Digitization on a Construction Organization: A Case Study
Proceedings of the Creative Construction e-Conference 2022
As the construction industry transitions to a post-pandemic world, the use of technology brought forward by Construction 4.0 has accelerated. This increase in technological advancements has placed greater emphasis on the need for digitization and is consequently driving construction organizations to change. Thus, it becomes crucial to understand how digitization is affecting the organizational aspects of construction companies including strategy, structure, people and culture, and processes and technology. This study addresses the gap and presents a case study on a large EPC company (Company X) that has been going through a digitization organizational change of both engineering and construction services since 2017. The company is a legacy company that has been operating for over 100 years and is placed in the Top 400 Contractors List published by the Engineering News Record (ENR). Network analysis was performed on transcriptions from four semi-structured interviews conducted with company representatives to understand: (1) the drivers of digitization (weight of the past, push of the present, and pull of the future); (2) the response of Company X to successfully implement this organizational change (implications on strategy, structure, people and culture, and processes and technology); and (3) the challenges that digitization imposed on the organization. Findings of this paper offer a preview of the dynamics of the digitization organizational change and enable informed diagolgue around the drivers of, response to, and challenges of digitization in the construction industry. Organizations undergoing or planning a digitization information can reflect on the practices identified through this research to succesfully navigate through this organizational change.
2021
This book explores construction digitalisation, particularly in developing countries. The book conceptualises a digitalisation capability maturity model that will enable construction organisations to self-assess and benchmark their digital capabilities in their quest for digital transformation. Digitalisation offers a significant solution to the age-long problems of the construction industry. Research shows that when construction organisations transform from a traditional service delivery approach to a more digitalised approach, significant improvement in project delivery and better competitive advantage for these organisations will be attained. The attainment of these benefits is evident in developed countries where the digitalisation of construction activities continues apace. Unfortunately, the story is not the same for construction organisations in developing economies. While some organisations might be willing to be digitally transformed, most have no clue as how to go about it. To this end, this book provides guidelines for construction organisations seeking to transform their entities digitally. Its content is a valuable read for construction company owners as it provides a model which they can use in the digitalisation of their activities. Also, regulatory bodies in the construction industry can adopt the capabilities identified in the book as essential prerequisites for their members. Furthermore, the book serves as an excellent theoretical background reading for management researchers seeking to expand their knowledge on digitalisation of the construction industry and other associated industries.
Barriers to digitalization in the Nigerian construction industry
Computing in construction, 2023
Digitalization around the world is gaining much popularity and the Nigerian construction is not an exception. Digitalization has been faced with a lot of challenges over the years. This study seeks to identify the barriers to digitalization in Nigerian construction industry and assess the benefits of digitalization with a view of improving productivity. The result revealed that the major barriers to digitalization are resistance to technology by stakeholders, high cost of digital technology, inadequate power supply, difficulties in adapting to change, inadequate digital facilities. There is need to improve the awareness of stakeholders on the benefit of digitalization.
Industry Report on Digitalisation of Construction
Digitalisation of Construction, 2021
• 95% of the class 2 building construction sector is represented by Micro-Small and Medium firms. As such, solutions for digitalisation should be cognition of the capabilities of the sector. • Construction sector has significantly low investment in research and development (R&D), compared to manufacturing sector. This needs improving if rapid digitalisation is to be implemented. • 52% of the sector is at a basic level of digital maturity. But there is overwhelming desire and ambition to move towards greater and rapid digitalisation. • ‘Achieving greater accuracy and trustworthiness’ is the top driver of digitalisation, while ‘high cost of software and hardware’ are the biggest barriers facing the sector. • Small businesses need to be supported to increase their digital capabilities, with software and licensing costs key barriers to digital adoption. • Lifting digital capability provides businesses with the ability to take advantage of productivity gains and new innovations. • Attracting the future construction workforce will depend on demonstrating that modern construction professionals will have the best digital tools at their disposal. • The report presents a framework for digitalisation of the construction sector that would thrust the sector in to a mode of rapid digitalisation.
Digitalisation in Construction Industry: Construction Professionals Perspective
Proceedings of International Structural Engineering and Construction, 2018
This study presents the result of an assessment of digitalisation within the South African construction industry from the construction professionals' perspective. The study adopted a quantitative approach through a questionnaire survey carried out among construction professionals in Gauteng Province, South Africa. Appropriate descriptive statistical tools were used in analysing the data gathered. The study revealed that the major stages of construction where digitalisation is evident are the design phase, and the feasibility phase. The major construction processes where it is mostly visible are, construction cost control, cost planning, preliminary cost estimate and building system analysis. In addition, the most significant benefits to be derived from digitalisation in the industry includes time-saving in construction projects delivery, increase productivity, increase speed of work, increase document quality, speeding up of response time, and simpler working methods. This study contributes to the body of knowledge as it reveals the happenings surrounding digitalisation within the South African construction industry; an aspect that seems to be lacking research attention.
Ict Adoption in the Iranian Construction Industry: Barriers and Opportunities
iaarc.org
In the competitive market of the construction industry, construction firms attempt to implement the projects with the least cost and time, and the highest quality. They try different ways to increase the efficiency of their projects. One of the most important factors which affects the efficiency of construction projects is Information and Communication Technology (ICT) utilization in construction. There are many software and hardware which have been developed to help planning, designing and executing of projects. Iranian construction firms also attempt to utilize ICT in their projects. However, ICT adoption in the construction industry is a complicated process and depends on many factors. The Iranian construction industry has advanced in applying ICT in projects, but there are still barriers and opportunities in this process. This paper clarifies the current problems and opportunities that the Iranian construction industry encounters in the process of ICT adoption. The research has a qualitative approach and focuses on meanings and opinions. Twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted with highly-experienced construction practitioners and software developers associated with the Iranian construction industry. Responses were qualitatively analyzed and a narrative interpretation developed. The results identified that infrastructure, cultural matters, training, regulations, user friendliness, financial issues and the lack of a common standard for ICT adoption among firms are the most important factors which should be considered to transform problems to opportunities.