Lundberg, O; Nylén, D and Sandberg, J (2022) Unpacking construction site digitalization: The role of incongruence and inconsistency in technological frames. Construction Management and Economics, 40(11-12), pp. 987-1002. ISSN 01446193
Abstract
Construction site operations often involve multiple actors with substantial variations in assumptions, expectations, and knowledge about technology. This could impair digitalization, which involves development of socio-cognitive environments that foster use of digital technology in new organizational procedures. Nevertheless, construction industry digitalization research has mainly addressed firm-level transformation of engineering phases and focused on technology, largely ignoring challenges arising from cognitive differences among actors at construction sites. Thus, we report a case study of attempts to spark construction site digitalization through a shared information management system (IMS). Applying technology frame of reference theory, we demonstrate how differences within groups among actors' frames (inconsistency) shape group-level frame misalignment (incongruence) and thus digitalization outcomes. The IMS was implemented successfully at the focal firm’s headquarter and regional office levels. However, substantial construction site-level frame inconsistency led to misaligned group-level expectations and generated a fragmented socio-cognitive environment that hindered strategic digitalization. In conclusion, socio-cognitive environments at industry, construction site, and group levels recursively shape individual frames, and harmonization of frames is important to realize construction digitalization.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | construction site; digitalization; digitization; socio-cognitive environment; technological frames |
| Index terms: | construction site, management system, digitalization, misalignment, digital technology, variation, transformation, case study, construction industry |
| Subjects: | business, data collection methods, engineering problems, computing systems, work location, digital technology, management, contractual condition, industry analysis |
| Topics: | Research Practice, Engineering Principles, Business Strategy, Contract Administration, Site Management, Organizational Design, Digital Applications |
| 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