Babatunde, S O; Ekundayo, D; Adekunle, A O and Bello, W (2020) Comparative analysis of drivers to BIM adoption among AEC firms in developing countries: A case of Nigeria. Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology, 18(6), pp. 1425-1447. ISSN 1726-0531
Abstract
Purpose: Building information modelling (BIM) adoption is vital to the productivity and competitive nature of the construction sector. However, BIM adoptions have not been generally embraced by many architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) firms, particularly in developing countries. Moreover, studies that investigate the important drivers to BIM adoptions among construction professionals through quantitative approach are limited. The purpose of this study is to address the aforementioned gap. Design/methodology/approach: This study involves a literature review, a pilot study and a questionnaire survey. The primary data were carried out using structured questionnaires distributed to four different BIM adopter AEC firms. These comprised architectural firms, facility management firms, quantity surveying firms and structural engineering firms in Lagos, Nigeria. Data obtained were analysed using mean score, standard deviation, Kruskal–Wallis test and factor analysis. Findings: The study identified 23 drivers to BIM adoption, and the relative importance of the identified drivers was gauged from each selected BIM adopter AEC firm category. The result of the Kruskal–Wallis test showed that there is no statistically significant difference in the perceptions of the four selected AEC firms in the mean ranking of the identified 23 drivers to BIM adoption. The findings from factor analysis categorized the identified drivers into two major factors to include cost and time savings, improved communication, and BIM awareness and government supports. Practical implications: The study empirically identifies important drivers to BIM adoption that will be useful for construction stakeholders to formulate strategies to adopt the full implementation of BIM in the AEC firms of Nigeria and other developing countries. Also, this study is important as it identifies, analyses and compares the drivers to BIM adoptions from four different AEC firms, thereby providing robust and more reliable findings. Originality/value: The study findings will provide information to policymakers and construction stakeholders to make policy recommendations that are capable of positively influencing the widespread adoption of BIM in AEC firms in particular and the construction industry at large. This study is important because the studies that comparatively and empirically analyzed BIM drivers in AEC firms are rare, particularly in developing countries. Hence, this study could be used to benchmark future studies in developing countries.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | architecture, engineering and construction firms; building information modelling; construction industry; construction stakeholders; developing countries; drivers |
| Index terms: | construction sector, facility management firm, methodology, questionnaire, engineering firm, literature review, strategy, comparative analysis, construction firm, survey, developing country, relative importance, quantity surveying firm, construction industry, implementation, future study, construction professional, Lagos, factor analysis, time saving, deviation, productivity, Nigeria, government support, building information modelling, architectural firm |
| Subjects: | development economics, professional development, Geography, firms, research methods, management, information systems, time analysis, statistical analysis, industry analysis, business, organization, research design and methodology, data collection methods, risk assessment, profession, government bodies, financial and cost management, data analysis and analytics, contractual arrangements |
| Topics: | Time Control, Organizational Design, Digital Applications, International Construction, Risk Management, Roles and Professions, Procurement, Governance, Business Strategy, Cost Management, Research Practice, Geographical Context, Information Management |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here