ITcon Vol. 28, pg. 385-404, http://www.itcon.org/2023/20

Digital transformation in construction – a review

DOI:10.36680/j.itcon.2023.020
submitted:October 2022
revised:July 2023
published:July 2023
editor(s):Robert Amor
authors:Olle Samuelson, Adjunct Professor,
Luleå University of Technology, Department of civil, environmental, and natural resources engineering, Division of Industrialized and sustainable construction, 971 87 Luleå, Sweden.
olle.samuelson@iqs.se; (corresponding author)

Lars Stehn, Professor,
Luleå University of Technology, Department of civil, environmental, and natural resources engineering, Division of Industrialized and sustainable construction, 971 87 Luleå, Sweden.
lars.stehn@ltu.se;
summary:Digital transformation (DT) is expected to contribute to the construction industry's ability to meet climate and sustainable challenges and increase companies' productivity. This study aims to explore requirements for, and factors affecting DT in the construction industry. This research goes beyond the technology perspective and focus on factors needed to transform the potential of digitalisation to benefits for organisations in the construction industry. A structured literature review is performed where knowledge gaps are identified, and a framework is developed that maps the required changes, as well as the associated challenges, constraints, and implications. The construction industry´s business-to-business logic, and the fragmented and project-based structure is found to have impact on the industry´s development within DT. Mainly regarding the DT aspects disruption, structural changes, organisational barriers, and the central aspect value creation. The understanding of DT by scholars and practitioners in the construction industry is found immature and this calls for further research. The research contributes to understanding of the concept DT and proposes, based on earlier DT literature, an adjusted framework for DT in construction, and points out key areas where research in construction has gaps to fill.
keywords:Digital transformation; Digitalisation; Construction industry; Review; Value creation; Framework
full text: (PDF file, 0.739 MB)
citation:Samuelson O, Stehn L (2023). Digital transformation in construction – a review, ITcon Vol. 28, pg. 385-404, https://doi.org/10.36680/j.itcon.2023.020
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