Individual and Organisational Level Drivers and Barriers to Building Information Modelling

Abstract

The diffusion of building information modelling (BIM) has remained slow and the search for a solution to the problems that prevent technology acceleration continues. Although, there is strong evidence that user resistance is a major factor in delaying the adoption of new technologies, little attention has been paid to the drivers of BIM use in literature. Besides, majority of the studies on organisational barriers focus on large firms, despite strong emphasis laid on increased collaboration in the BIM. In the current study, the drivers of and barriers to BIM adoption and implementation are explored at both individual and organisational levels through a survey conducted on 905 industry professionals from the Turkish construction industry. This study further explores differences between groups of firm size in embracing BIM technologies to assess the extent and presence of digital divide. Results reveal that professionals place more value on performance enhancing factors rather than social influence for the adoption of BIM, indicating the role of improved performance as a driver for BIM. The most prominent barriers, on the other hand, appear to be related to the availability of expertise and skills, a problem that seems to exist not solely within companies but also further down the supply chain. Policymakers seeking to disseminate BIM use may address these concerns and consider these insights to revise policies and incentives.