Challenges when implementing BIM for industry change

Vass, S and Karrbom Gustavsson, T (2017) Challenges when implementing BIM for industry change. Construction Management and Economics, 35(10), pp. 597-610. ISSN 0144-6193

Abstract

Public clients have been identified as drivers of architectural, engineering and construction (AEC) industry change through their implementation of building information modelling (BIM). Yet, little is known of this implementation process and the associated challenges. This study aims to increase the understanding of what intra- and inter-organizational challenges that arise when a large Swedish public infrastructure client implements BIM to change the work practices of the actors in the Swedish AEC industry. The IT business value model allows for understanding the public client's implementation of BIM as an IT-supported change process and for understanding the associated intra- and inter-organizational challenges. The findings show nine categories of intra- and inter-organizational challenges related to, for example, demanding BIM in procurement and creating incentives for BIM implementation. The findings show that intra-organizational challenges related to a top-down implementation of BIM, while inter-organizational challenges related to a bottom-up implementation. The impact of these challenges on the public client's ability to drive AEC industry change by implementing BIM is discussed. The findings contribute with the client perspective to studies on BIM implementation and with an increased understanding of the challenges associated with implementing IT-supported change processes.;Public clients have been identified as drivers of AEC industry change through their implementation of BIM. Yet, little is known of this implementation process and the associated challenges. This study aims to increase the understanding of what intra and inter organizational challenges that arise when a large Swedish public infrastructure client implements BIM to change the work practices of the actors in the Swedish AEC industry. The IT Business Value Model allows for understanding the public client’s implementation of BIM as an IT-supported change process and for understanding the associated intra and inter organizational challenges. The findings show nine categories of intra and inter organizational challenges related to, for example, demanding BIM in procurement and creating incentives for BIM implementation.  The findings show that intra organizational challenges related to a top-down implementation of BIM, while inter organizational challenges related to a bottom-up implementation. The impact of these challenges on the public client´s ability to drive AEC industry change by implementing BIM is discussed. The findings contribute with the client perspective to studies on BIM implementation and with an increased understanding of the challenges associated with implementing IT-supported change processes.;Public clients have been identified as drivers of architectural, engineering and construction (AEC) industry change through their implementation of building information modelling (BIM). Yet, little is known of this implementation process and the associated challenges. This study aims to increase the understanding of what intra- and inter-organizational challenges that arise when a large Swedish public infrastructure client implements BIM to change the work practices of the actors in the Swedish AEC industry. The IT business value model allows for understanding the public client's implementation of BIM as an IT-supported change process and for understanding the associated intra- and inter-organizational challenges. The findings show nine categories of intra- and inter-organizational challenges related to, for example, demanding BIM in procurement and creating incentives for BIM implementation. The findings show that intra-organizational challenges related to a top-down implementation of BIM, while inter-organizational challenges related to a bottom-up implementation. The impact of these challenges on the public client's ability to drive AEC industry change by implementing BIM is discussed. The findings contribute with the client perspective to studies on BIM implementation and with an increased understanding of the challenges associ ted with implementing IT-supported change processes.;

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: organizational change; public client; challenges; building information modelling; procurement; clients; building management systems; construction industry
Index terms: organizational change, building management system, work practice, building information modelling, public infrastructure, public client, construction industry, implementation
Subjects: mechanical systems, business, contractual arrangements, management, sociology, information systems, industry analysis, infrastructure and transport systems
Topics: Research Practice, Engineering Principles, Stakeholder Management, Procurement, Digital Applications, Organizational Design
Descriptive scope: 3 PCT

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