Pan, M and Pan, W (2020) Understanding the determinants of construction robot adoption: Perspective of building contractors. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 146(5): 04020040, ISSN 0733-9364
Abstract
Construction robots have emerged as a revolutionary technology for buildings. However, real-world adoption is still limited. Little is known how the decision of adopting construction robots or not is made in organizations, which inhibits the benefits of robots from being fully realized. This paper aims to investigate the determinants affecting construction robot adoption for building works at the organizational level. Drawing on the technology-organization-environment framework, a research model with 11 hypotheses on determinants was developed and empirically evaluated via a survey of 94 typical building contractors in Hong Kong using a partial least-squares structural equation modeling technique. The results indicate that relative advantage, top management support, organizational readiness, market competitive pressure, and high costs are significantly related to the adoption, among which top management support is most influential. A two-stage conceptual framework is derived that provides theoretical insights on the determinants and reveals the complexities and influence dynamics of determinants on the adoption during technology development. The findings offer useful suggestions for the effective development of robots for building works and lay a foundation for construction innovation adoption in a wider context.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | building; construction robots; innovation adoption; technology-organization-environment |
| Index terms: | conceptual framework, technology development, construction innovation, complexity, top management, structural equation modelling, drawing, survey, determinant, dynamics, relative advantage, Hong Kong, building contractor, innovation adoption |
| Subjects: | data collection methods, risk assessment, innovation studies, practitioner, technical documentation, innovation and technology management, theoretical framing, management, Geography, building construction, systems engineering, statistical analysis |
| Topics: | Roles and Professions, Risk Management, Business Strategy, Geographical Context, Research Practice, Engineering Principles, Organizational Design, Design Practice |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCEA |
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