RFID use in residential/commercial construction industry

Abstract

PurposeIn the past decade, radio frequency identification devices (RFIDs) have attracted the attention of the construction industry, having been proven to be an effective technology for addressing operational challenges in other industries such as health-care, retail and manufacturing. Despite the benefits, the use of RFID in construction industry is limited even in the face of inefficiencies that exist and that the need for improvement is yet to drive the widespread adoption in the residential/commercial construction industry. The purpose of this study is to investigate key drivers and critical success factors for RFID adoption.Design/methodology/approachThe study included extensive and systematic literature review, interviews and questionnaire survey.FindingsThe study revealed that the most important key driver for RFID adoption is productivity improvement, while the most important critical success factors include management support and commitment, having clear RFID strategy, needs and benefits, having strong motivation for improvement, providing adequate funding and proper planning.Practical implicationsThis study provides an exploratory framework that can be used by construction company executives and managers to provide justification for deciding to implement RFID on their projects and to enhance success rates of implementation.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the knowledge on RFID use in residential/commercial construction industry and provides a basis for further investigation by construction management researchers on the emerging issues regarding RFID use in the construction industry.