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The technology adoption propensity of professionals and companies in the construction industry
Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2024.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| _version_ | 1867613929305276416 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Jurgens, Christiaan Johannes |
| author2 | Wium, Jan |
| author_browse | Jurgens, Christiaan Johannes Wium, Jan |
| author_facet | Wium, Jan Jurgens, Christiaan Johannes |
| author_sort | Jurgens, Christiaan Johannes |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description |
Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2024. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/131690 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:43:57.159Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/131690 The technology adoption propensity of professionals and companies in the construction industry Jurgens, Christiaan Johannes Wium, Jan Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Civil Engineering. Construction industry -- Technological innovations Organizational change Technological innovations -- Economic aspects UCTD Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2024. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The construction industry is a strategically vital sector, but it has many concerns. Notably, some of these concerns are related to its low technology adoption. Technology adoption propensity influences technology adoption behaviour. The construction industry’s technology adoption propensity (i.e., its willingness to adopt new technologies) is therefore of key importance to its future success. This dissertation aims to quantify the technology adoption propensity of professionals and companies in the construction industry. It uses diffusion research to investigate the construction industry’s “resistance to change.” The diffusion of innovations theory, developed by E.M. Rogers in 1962, is selected as its foundational theory. The research design of this dissertation is characterised by a mixed-methods methodology using both positivist and interpretivist philosophies. The collected data are used to evaluate propositions related to its foundational theory. Validation of the findings is undertaken throughout the dissertation. This dissertation includes an examination of existing relevant international and South African literature to validate its original contributions, a review of two selected case studies, and a review of some influential books. In addition, it develops the Simple adopter categories through modification of the standardised adopter categories as published by E.M. Rogers in 1958. The dissertation then proceeds with the development, execution, and analysis of a technology adoption propensity industry survey. This is done via a self-reported questionnaire to gather primary data from registered and candidate professionals in the South African built environment. Despite being limited to South Africa, the survey results are shown to have international applicability due to the shared challenges experienced by the South African construction industry and its international counterparts. The industry survey results classify construction industry professionals as early majority technology adopters who tend to adopt new technologies slightly faster than the average person. Construction industry companies are shown to be balanced technology adopters, positioning between the early majority adopter and late majority adopter categories. They tend to adopt technology products at a rate as expected/predicted by the diffusion of innovations theory. In addition, this dissertation develops four possible future technology adoption propensity scenarios for the construction industry using a standardised scenario planning method. Each of the scenarios are discussed, before being comparatively evaluated to identify the best- and worst-case scenarios. Such scenarios have not been developed before. This dissertation finds that professionals and companies in the construction industry are not slow to adopt new technologies. In addition, the diffusion of innovations theory and the developed Simple adopter categories are found to be appropriate for achieving the aim and objectives of this study. Additional research is recommended to validate the effectiveness of the Simple adopter categories for conducting diffusion research in other industries. Lastly, the need to accelerate the technology adoption propensity of companies in the construction industry is identified. This dissertation then develops actionable guidance to address some of the industry’s many concerns. Separate guidelines are developed for companies, technology developers, opinion leaders, and technology champions. These guidelines are not tested, and validation of their effectiveness is recommended for further research. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die konstruksiebedryf is 'n strategies belangrike sektor met talle uitdagings. Baie van die industrie se uitdagings hou egter verband met die bedryf se lae vlak van tegnologieaanvaarding. Tegnologie-aanvaardingsgeneigdheid beïnvloed tegnologie-aanvaardingsgedrag. Die konstruksiebedryf se tegnologie-aanvaardingsgeneigdheid (m.a.w., sy bereidwilligheid om nuwe tegnologieë te aanvaar) is dus van kritieke belang vir sy toekomstige sukses. Hierdie proefskrif het ten doel om die tegnologie-aanvaardingsgeneigdheid van beide professionele persone en maatskappye in die konstruksiebedryf te kwantifiseer. Dit gebruik diffusienavorsing om die konstruksiebedryf se "weerstand teen verandering" te ondersoek. Die “diffusion of innovations” teorie, ontwikkel deur E.M. Rogers in 1962, is die gekose grondslagteorie. Die navorsingsontwerp van hierdie proefskrif volg ’n gemengde-metodes-benadering wat beide positivistiese en interpretatiewe filosofieë kombineer. Hierdie data word dan gebruik om stellings rakende die grondslagteorie te evalueer. Bevindinge word deurgaans in die proefskrif gevalideer. Die proefskrif sluit ’n ondersoek in van relevante internasionale en Suid-Afrikaanse bestaande literatuur om die oorspronklike bydraes te valideer, asook ’n hersiening van twee geselekteerde gevallestudies, en verskeie invloedryke boeke. Dit ontwikkel ook die sogenaamde “Simple adopter categories” deur die standaard aanvaarderkategorieë van E.M. Rogers in 1958 aan te pas. Hierdie studie sluit in die ontwikkeling, uitvoering, en analise van ’n industrie-opname oor tegnologie-aanvaardingsgeneigdheid. Primêre data is verkry deur middel van ’n selfgerapporteerde vraelys wat gerig was op geregistreerde en kandidaat-professionele persone in die Suid-Afrikaanse konstruksiebedryf. Hoewel die industrie-opname tot SuidAfrika beperk is, toon die resultate internasionale toepaslikheid weens soortgelyke uitdagings in die Suid-Afrikaanse en internasionale konstruksiebedrywe. Die industrie-opname klassifiseer professionele persone in die konstruksiebedryf as vroeë meerderheid tegnologie-aanvaarders wat geneig is om nuwe tegnologieë effens vinniger as die gemiddelde persoon aan te neem. Maatskappye in die konstruksiebedryf word as gebalanseerde tegnologie-aanvaarders geklassifiseer, wat hulle tussen die vroeë meerderheiden laat meerderheid-kategorieë plaas. Dit beteken dat konstruksiemaatskappye tegnologie aanneem teen ’n tempo wat ooreenstem met die “diffusion of innovations” teorie se voorspelling. Verder ontwikkel die proefskrif vier moontlike toekoms-scenarios vir tegnologieaanvaardingsgeneigdheid in die konstruksiebedryf deur ’n standaard scenariobeplanningsmetode te gebruik. Elke scenario word beskryf en vergelykend geëvalueer om die beste- en slegste-geval scenario’s te identifiseer. Sulke scenarios is nog nie voorheen ontwikkel nie. Hierdie proefskrif bevind dat professionele persone sowel as maatskappye in die konstruksiebedryf nie stadig is om nuwe tegnologieë aan te neem nie. Verder is die “diffusion of innovations” teorie en die ontwikkelde “Simple adopter categories” geskik om die doelwitte van hierdie studie te bereik. Verdere navorsing word voorgestel om die doeltreffendheid van die “Simple adopter categories” in ander industrieë te toets. Laastens identifiseer hierdie proefskrif die noodsaaklikheid daarvan om die tegnologieaanvaardingsgeneigdheid van maatskappye in die konstruksiebedryf te versnel om sommige van die bedryf se talle uitdagings aan te spreek. Praktiese riglyne vir maatskappye, tegnologieontwikkelaars, opinieleiers en tegnologie-kampioene word ontwikkel om daardie doel te bereik. Hierdie riglyne is nie getoets nie en verdere navorsing word voorgestel om hul doeltreffendheid te valideer. Doctoral 2025-02-06T06:00:11Z 2025-02-06T06:00:11Z 2024-12 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/131690 en Stellenbosch University 286 pages : illustrations application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Construction industry -- Technological innovations Organizational change Technological innovations -- Economic aspects UCTD Jurgens, Christiaan Johannes The technology adoption propensity of professionals and companies in the construction industry |
| title | The technology adoption propensity of professionals and companies in the construction industry |
| title_full | The technology adoption propensity of professionals and companies in the construction industry |
| title_fullStr | The technology adoption propensity of professionals and companies in the construction industry |
| title_full_unstemmed | The technology adoption propensity of professionals and companies in the construction industry |
| title_short | The technology adoption propensity of professionals and companies in the construction industry |
| title_sort | technology adoption propensity of professionals and companies in the construction industry |
| topic | Construction industry -- Technological innovations Organizational change Technological innovations -- Economic aspects UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/131690 |
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