Innovation Factors of Engineers in Thailand's Construction Industry

Abstract

The construction industry is important to Thailand's economy. However, due to the competition in the fast-changing world, entrepreneurs must adjust their business practices to seek opportunities to benefit from competitive advantages. Additionally, modern technology is applied to all the processes of the construction industry to increase efficiency. The objectives of this research were to 1) analyze the opinions of engineers on the construction business innovation factors, and 2) analyze how engineers with different occupations, types of construction work, training, work experience, and professional fields influenced the construction business innovation factors. This research is quantitative. The target group was engineers working in the construction industry in Bangkok and its vicinity, Chonburi and Nakhon Ratchasima, which all together are the economic center of Thailand. There were 80 samples. The questionnaire was validated by three experts before the data collection began. The sampling was not random; a purposive selection method was used. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics with frequency, percentage, and the F test. The results of the analysis showed that the overall level of business innovation factors in the construction industry was moderate, with an average of 4.40. When considering the level of innovation factors in each aspect, it was found that paradigm innovation, product innovation, position innovation, and process innovation had an average of 4.65, 4.40, 4.38, and 4.20, respectively. It was also found that personal factors differing in occupation, types of construction work, training, work experience, and professional fields related to business in the construction industry did not have a statistically significant effect on product innovation, process innovation, position innovation, and paradigm innovation. Therefore, the research results will be useful in seeking business opportunities in the construction business for further development into building a construction industry business network that would increase sales and profits. Additionally, engineers pay attention to innovation as a factor that affects the efficiency of the construction industry. However, construction organizations must plan for employee training, experience building, and work plans to achieve better performance, and construction industry business has brought in modern technology to help in the construction process to improve the efficiency of the construction work by using Internet of Things (IoT) technology to track the use of construction resources and uses drones for on-site inspections better and more accurately. Keywords: innovation factors, construction industry, engineers, Thailand. DOI: https://doi.org/10.55463/hkjss.issn.1021-3619.60.72