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Investigating building information modeling acceptance in the Chinese AECO industry

Xiaolong Xue (School of Management, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China)
Xiliang Sun (School of Management, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China)
Weirui Xue (School of Management, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China)
Yaxin Wang (China Overseas Land & Investment Ltd., Shenzhen, China)
Longhui Liao (Sino-Australia Joint Research Center in BIM and Smart Construction, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China) (Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Green, Efficient and Intelligent Construction of Underground Metro Station, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China)

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management

ISSN: 0969-9988

Article publication date: 14 June 2022

Issue publication date: 27 November 2023

389

Abstract

Purpose

Conscious of the benefits building information modeling (BIM) has brought about to the architecture, engineering, construction and operations (AECO) industry, the Chinese government has been driving BIM adoption. Nonetheless, its acceptance and proliferation in China remain stagnant. Most relevant literature focuses on BIM diffusion at the industry and organizational levels, but the impact of non-managerial practitioners executing BIM or the traditional drafting approach in day-to-day work tends to be disregarded. This study aims to extend theoretical models pertaining to technology acceptance to understand non-managerial practitioners’ perceptions toward working with BIM in China.

Design/methodology/approach

A new BIM acceptance model was proposed based on previous technology acceptance theories. After a pilot study, a survey was conducted with 153 non-managerial practitioners in the Chinese AECO industry.

Findings

Among factors impacting non-managerial practitioners’ BIM acceptance in China, performance expectancy and task-technology fit significantly and positively influence behavioral intention to accept BIM, while the impacts from effort expectancy, social influence and facilitating conditions are not essential.

Research limitations/implications

Management strategies, such as improving non-managerial staff’s benefits and sense of BIM usefulness, selecting suitable tools to match with the staff’s tasks and promoting a middle-out approach in parallel with top-down interventions, are proposed for Chinese AECO organizations to enhance BIM acceptance.

Originality/value

Few studies have explored BIM acceptance from the perspective of non-managerial users in the Chinese AECO industry, especially using the theories related to technology acceptance. The BIM acceptance model developed in this study is different from those used in previous global studies in terms of influencing factors.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This study was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 71671053 and Grant No. 72001051), the Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation (Grant No. 2019A1515010719), the Guangdong Science and Technology Program (Grant No. 2019B101001019), and the Shenzhen Philosophy and Social Sciences Planning project (Grant No. SZ2021C016).

Citation

Xue, X., Sun, X., Xue, W., Wang, Y. and Liao, L. (2023), "Investigating building information modeling acceptance in the Chinese AECO industry", Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, Vol. 30 No. 9, pp. 4253-4270. https://doi.org/10.1108/ECAM-08-2021-0685

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited

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