Digitalization of construction-phase information management by project owners: qualitative analysis of potential benefits and probable factors
Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management
ISSN: 0969-9988
Article publication date: 8 October 2024
Abstract
Purpose
The US construction industry has been relatively slow to employ digital information technologies. The lack of adoption by project owners is a result of them not having a solid understanding of probable factors (PFs) that could influence the implementation of such systems and potential benefits (PBs) that can serve as key motivators and an assessment instrument. Thus, this article aims to study PBs of digital construction-phase information management (DCIM) systems for project owners and PFs that could influence the implementation of such systems by project owners.
Design/methodology/approach
Qualitative data collection and analysis methods were followed to conduct the research. The qualitative data (information) regarding PBs and PFs were collected using a survey to subject matter experts and the content analysis method was used to analyze the data.
Findings
Findings show that almost all the qualitative data regarding PBs of DCIM systems are positive, and these data support 10 of 18 PBs with which they were compared. The qualitative data that is negative does not support one PB. Findings also show that all the qualitative data regarding the PFs are confirmatory, and these data support 14 of 28 PFs with which they were compared. The most supported PB is improvement in the efficiency of documentation within the organization and the most supported PF is upper management support.
Originality/value
The primary contribution of this research is in increasing project owners’ understanding of PBs of DCIM systems and PFs that could influence the implementation of such systems.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The author would like to thank Mustansiriyah University (www.uomustansiriyah.edu.iq) Baghdad, Iraq, and Oregon State University (www.oregonstate.edu), Corvallis, USA, for their support of the presented work.
Citation
Jahanger, Q.K. (2024), "Digitalization of construction-phase information management by project owners: qualitative analysis of potential benefits and probable factors", Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/ECAM-07-2023-0673
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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