Driving digital transformation in construction: Strategic insights into building information modelling adoption in developing countries

Abstract

The construction industry in developing countries faces significant challenges, including limited resources, infrastructure constraints, and varying levels of technological readiness, which hinder the adoption of Building Information Modelling. Despite the recognized benefits in enhancing project efficiency, reducing costs, and improving collaboration, there is a lack of comprehensive understanding and tailored strategies for Building Information Modelling implementation in these contexts. This study aims to address these gaps by systematically reviewing Building Information Modelling adoption literature from 2013 to 2023 and developing a model specifically designed to guide its integration in developing nations. It categorizes nations by demographic and economic parameters and employs thematic analysis to explore benefits, challenges, and strategies. The study develops a tailored Building Information Modelling adoption model, by highlighting the dynamic interplay between adoption, contextual and strategic factors, technological advancement and socio-economic development and synthesizing key insights from academic literature and empirical findings. It offers strategic recommendations for nations at different Building Information Modelling integration stages, addressing their unique socio-economic and environmental contexts. The study identifies trends in utilization and highlights significant gaps, particularly in empirical, educational and strategic initiatives on digital construction transformation.