Aghimien, D; Aigbavboa, C; Meno, T and Ikuabe, M (2021) Unravelling the risks of construction digitalisation in developing countries. Construction Innovation, 21(3), pp. 456-475. ISSN 1471-4175
Abstract
This study aims to present the result of an assessment of the risk of construction digitalisation with a view to sensitising and preparing construction organisations for unforeseen issues that might arise in the course of their digital transformation. The study took a post-positivist stance through a quantitative research approach. A survey of construction professionals actively involved in construction projects in South Africa was conducted using a structured questionnaire. The analysis of the data gathered was done using mean item scores, Kruskal–Wallis H test, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and structural equation modelling (SEM). EFA revealed five principal risk factors (human and financial, technological, legal and security, operations and socioeconomic risk factors) associated with the digitalisation of construction organisations. However, SEM revealed that four out of these risk components have significant direct relationships with some selected digitalisation outcomes. These significant risk factors are technology, legal and security issues, operations and socioeconomic issues. This study provides practical insight into the risk inherent in construction digitalisation, and its result can help organisations seeking to be digitally transformed make informed decisions. Theoretically, the study reveals the risks associated with construction digitalisation – an aspect that has not gained significant attention in the current fourth industrial revolution discourse. Therefore, its findings can form a basis for future studies on the risk of digitalising construction organisations.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | digitalisation; fourth industrial revolution; risk assessment; risk management; South Africa; structural equation modelling |
| Index terms: | developing country, exploratory factor analysis, digitalization, structural equation modelling, survey, construction project, questionnaire, South Africa, construction organization, quantitative research, transformation, construction professional, risk assessment, risk factor, fourth industrial revolution, risk management, future study |
| Subjects: | research design and methodology, organization, business, risk assessment, data collection methods, digital technology, data analysis and analytics, technology adoption, financial risk, professional development, development economics, Geography, production management, statistical analysis, environmental hazards |
| Topics: | Cost Management, Business Strategy, Research Practice, Project Management, Geographical Context, Information Management, Risk Management, Sustainability, Digital Applications, International Construction |
| 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