Aliu, J; Oke, A E; Oluwasogo Oyediran, A; Kanya, R A and Ukaha Onyeukwu, S (2026) From isolation to interaction: Evaluating social media awareness and adoption in a developing construction industry. Smart and Sustainable Built Environment, 15(1), pp. 273-293. ISSN 2046-6099
Abstract
Purpose – Although social media has gained prominence as a communication and marketing tool in various sectors, its adoption and utilization within the construction industry remain relatively underexplored. Therefore, this study fills this gap by evaluating the level of awareness and the extent of adoption of social media within the Nigerian construction industry, shedding light on its current status and potential impact. Design/methodology/approach – This objective was attained via a quantitative research approach that utilized a structured questionnaire to obtain responses from construction professionals such as architects, builders, engineers, quantity surveyors and estate managers. Frequencies and percentages and the mean item score (MIS) were used to analyze the questionnaire responses and assess the overall awareness and adoption of social media among construction professionals. Additionally, the Kruskal–Wallis H-test provided valuable insights into the variations in social media adoption levels among different professional categories within the construction industry. Findings – The results indicate that construction professionals possess a generally high level of awareness regarding various social media platforms. However, despite this awareness, the extent of adoption does not align with the level of awareness, suggesting that adoption rates are not as widespread as anticipated. Practical implications – The findings of this study underscore the importance of not just awareness but also effective adoption and utilization of social media platforms. While awareness is a crucial first step, construction firms should focus on implementing strategies to encourage greater adoption and integration of these platforms into their daily operations. This can go a long way in bridging the awareness – adoption gap which was revealed in this study. Originality/value – While the limited existing research on social media in the construction industry has predominantly concentrated on areas such as marketing, addressing the root causes of fatalities, data environment tools and business branding, none have undertaken a thorough evaluation of social media awareness and adoption within the sector. This study fills a critical gap by narrowing its focus to the adoption dynamics and the technology's potential impact on communication, collaboration and knowledge sharing among construction professionals.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | construction industry; construction productivity; digital technologies; information sharing; social media; sustainable construction |
| Index terms: | engineer, platform, quantitative research, quantity surveying, estate manager, fatalities, construction productivity, construction industry, interaction, social media, marketing, information sharing, architect, dynamics, construction professional, builder, knowledge sharing, construction firm, strategy, sustainable construction, digital technology, questionnaire, collaboration, methodology, variation, integration |
| Subjects: | behavioral psychology, research methods, sustainable construction, digital design, operations management, knowledge management, organization, practitioner, organizational analysis, industry analysis, systems engineering, health risk and incident analysis, management, data exchange, contractual condition, professional development, technology adoption, data analysis and analytics, data collection methods, profession, business, computing systems |
| Topics: | Roles and Professions, Research Practice, Information Management, Business Strategy, Organizational Design, Contract Administration, Digital Applications, Sustainability, Project Management, Engineering Principles, Health and Safety |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTA |
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