Gledson, B; Zulu, S L; Saad, A M and Ponton, H (2024) Digital leadership framework to support firm-level digital transformations for Construction 4.0. Construction Innovation, 24(1), pp. 341-364. ISSN 1471-4175
Abstract
Purpose: Against a background context of Construction 4.0, this study aims to explore what digital leadership in construction firms is, why it is necessary and what considerations it involves. It provides a digital leadership considerations framework to aid organisational digital transformations. Design/methodology/approach: To address the research question informing what digital leadership involves, an interpretivist study was conducted. Eleven purposively selected expert practitioners, including construction business leaders and company digital champions were surveyed using in-depth semi-structured interviews. This obtained insights and reflections on how construction leaders can impel digital transformations. Findings: How construction leaders can embed the skills to drive such transformation in their firms, what the essential digital skills for construction businesses now are in Construction 4.0 and how leaders can attempt to evaluate the value of digital technology for their business practices, are all crystallised. Impacts of digital transformations on the construction workplace are also highlighted. Practical implications: Because of this work, business leaders will be better equipped to lead and support further digital transformation efforts in Construction 4.0. Future research directions aid academics. Originality/value: Clear definitions of digital transformation and digital leadership are provided, and a digital leadership considerations framework is provided to support firm-level digital transformations for Construction 4.0.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | construction 4.0; diffusion; digital leadership; information management; information technology; innovation; innovation diffusion |
| Index terms: | construction 4.0, transformation, reflection, innovation diffusion, interview, construction firm, practitioner, methodology, information technology, digital technology |
| Subjects: | sociology, research methods, professional development, data collection methods, business, digital engineering, organization, practitioner, computing systems |
| Topics: | Digital Applications, Roles and Professions, Business Strategy, Information Management, Research Practice |
| 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