Rasheed, U; Ordaz, C; Xu, X; Hu, Y; Li, S; Sutton, T and Cai, J (2025) Understanding the impact of teleoperation technology on the construction industry: Adoption dynamics, workforce perception, and the role of broader workforce participation. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 151(7): 04025085, ISSN 0733-9364
Abstract
The construction industry is undergoing a transformative shift with the integration of advanced technologies such as teleoperation, which holds the potential to significantly enhance operational practices and workforce dynamics. This research delves into the adoption of equipment automation technologies within the construction industry, focusing on the critical role of teleoperation. By identifying the key benefits and barriers associated with the adoption of teleoperation, the study underscores its necessity for advancing industry practices. Additionally, it provides insights into the diverse factors that influence technology acceptance and integration. Employing a mixed methodology approach, including semistructured interviews with industry experts and a comprehensive survey of 220 construction professionals, the study identifies key factors influencing the adoption of teleoperation and other equipment automation technologies. The analysis reveals significant organizational characteristics such as company size, sector, and project type that affect technology adoption strategies. Additionally, the study highlights the demographics and gender-specific differences in perceptions of adopting teleoperation, with women expressing greater concerns about job security and safety, while men focus on operational efficiency and performance. Despite the evident benefits of teleoperation, including enhanced worker safety and improved efficiency, significant barriers persist, such as high costs, technological readiness, and fears of labor replacement. The findings suggest that teleoperation has the potential to diversify the workforce by making construction roles more accessible to underrepresented groups. The study concludes with practical recommendations for stakeholders, including developing inclusive teleoperation systems, fostering industrywide collaboration, and advancing diversity and inclusion to encourage widespread adoption and create a safer, more efficient, and inclusive construction environment.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Index terms: | replacement, technology acceptance, collaboration, integration, methodology, strategy, survey, interview, diversity and inclusion, automation, demographics, construction industry, technology adoption, organizational characteristic, dynamics, construction professional, women, efficiency |
| Subjects: | research methods, automation and robotics, demography, materials science, innovation and technology management, management, performance management, professional development, organizational analysis, sociology, industry analysis, systems engineering, data collection methods |
| Topics: | Engineering Principles, Quality Management, Information Management, Research Practice, Business Strategy, Human Resources, Urban Studies, Digital Applications, Organizational Design |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTE |
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