Barriers to software adoption: A study of building information modelling (BIM) technology in the Hong Kong construction industry

Abstract

As information technologies have been used by organizations to increase productivity, efficiency and effectiveness, Building Information Modelling (BIM) technology does so by using computer software technology to integrate construction processes built on coordinated and reliable information throughout the design and construction phases, and the operations of construction projects. Amongst the various academic researches on technology usage and adoption that are currently available, the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) is most widely used by researchers to help understand system usage behavior. This research applied a theoretical extension of the TAM, i.e. TAM2, to the Hong Kong building and construction industry with the addition of factors, including perceived usefulness and usage intentions, to aid explaining readiness to use in relation to overall satisfaction, which consists of process satisfaction and outcome satisfaction. A quantitative analysis was conducted over a period of one year involving 203 validated responses from the Hong Kong building and construction industry to measure the effects of these variables. Correlation analysis was used to determine the effects of significant relationships. The findings support the hypotheses and also conclude with the validated expanded TAM2, which explains the more frequent adoption of BIM software technology in the Hong Kong building and construction industry than the original TAM or the TAM2. In the academic field, this research provides a further extension to TAM2 concluding a validated expanded TAM2. In professional practices, this research provides contributions to improving the understanding of user adoption behavior of BIM Technology in the Hong Kong Building and Construction Industry.