A Sociotechnical Systems Analysis of Building Information Modelling (STSaBIM) Implementation in Construction Organisations

The concept of BIM is nascent but evolving rapidly, thus, its deployment has become the latest shibboleth amongst both academics and practitioners in the construction sector in the recent couple of years. Due to construction clients buy-in of the BIM concept, the entire industry is encouraged to pursue a vision of changing work practices in line with the BIM ideas. Also, existing research recognises that the implementation of BIM affects all areas of the construction process from design of the building, through the organisation of projects, to the way in which the construction process is executed and how the finished product is maintained. The problem however is that, existing research in technology utilisation in general, and BIM literature in particular, has offered limited help to practitioners trying to implement BIM, for focusing predominantly, on technology-centric views. Not surprisingly therefore, the current BIM literature emphasises on topics such as capability maturity models and anticipated outcomes of BIM rollouts. Rarely does the extant literature offer practitioners a cohesive approach to BIM implementation. Such technology-centric views inevitably represent a serious barrier to utilising the inscribed capabilities of BIM. This research therefore is predicated on the need to strengthen BIM implementation theory through monitoring and analysing its implementation in practice. Thus, the focus of this thesis is to carry out a sociotechnical systems (STS) analysis of BIM implementation in construction organisations. The concept of STS accommodates the dualism of the inscribed functions of BIM technologies and the contextual issues in the organisations and allows for the analysis of their interactive combination in producing the anticipated effect from BIM appropriation. An interpretive research methodology is adopted to study practitioners through a change process, involving the implementation of BIM in their work contexts. The study is based on constructivist ontological interpretations of participants. The study adopts an abductive research approach which ensures a back-and-forth movement between research sites and the theoretical phenomenon, effectively comparing the empirical findings with the existing theories and to eventually generate a new theoretical understanding and knowledge regarding the phenomenon under investigation. A two-stage process is also formulated for the empirical data collection - comprising: 1) initial exploratory study to help establish the framework for analysing BIM implementation in the construction context; and 2) case studies approach to provide a context for formulating novel understanding and validation of theory regarding BIM implementation in construction organisations. The analysis and interpretation of the empirical work follows the qualitative content analysis technique to observe and reflect on the results. The findings have shown that BIM implementation demands a complete breakaway from the status quo. Contrary to the prevailing understanding of a top-down approach to BIM utilisation, the study revealed that different organisations with plethora of visions, expectations and skills combine with artefacts to form or transform BIM practices. The rollout and appropriation of BIM occurs when organisations shape sociotechnical systems of institutions, processes and technologies to support certain practices over others. The study also showed that BIM implementation endures in a causal chain of influences as different project organisations with their localised BIM ambitions and expectations combine to develop holistic BIM-enabled project visions. Thus, distributed responsibilities on holistic BIM protocols among the different levels of influences are instituted and enforced under binding contractual obligations. The study has illuminated the centrality of both the technical challenges and sociological factors in shaping BIM deployment in construction. It is also one of the few studies that have produced accounts of BIM deployment that is strongly mediated by the institutional contexts of construction organisations. However, it is acknowledged that the focus of the research on qualitative interpretive enquiry does not have the hard and fast view of generalising from specific cases to broader population/contexts. Thus, it is suggested that further quantitative studies, using much larger data sample of BIM-enabled construction organisations could provide an interesting point of comparison to the conclusions derived from the research findings

Expansive learning in contemporary construction organisations

Purpose – The evolving roles of BIM and smart building technologies in the design and management of construction projects often present unexpected events and variabilities, which tend to erode professionals’ prior knowledge authority. The purpose of this paper is to explore how construction organisations can deploy knowledge and adapt to the requisite skills in order to make fitting responses to the ever evolving technological and organizational transformations to address the prevailing construction challenges. Design/methodology/approach – The paper opted for abductive research approach which ensures back-and-forth iterative dialogue between the empirical data and an amalgam of the theoretical proposition towards new understanding of the phenomenon under investigation. Multiple case study method was adopted to collate the empirical data from three separate construction organisations as they transitioned into BIM compliant work processes. Findings – The study has described new processes that not only mediate existing practices, but focuses on consistently resolving known tensions and contradictions between prior knowledge and the requirement of the changing work situation. The study also illustrates the cognitive synchronisation of the learning approaches within contemporary work organisations that align well with the merits and utilities entrenched within their niche technological choices. Research limitations/implications – Due to the chosen research methodology, it is acknowledged that future comparative studies using a much larger quantitative data sample to further elucidate the findings of this paper would be an interesting further step. Originality/value – The study contributes to construction management literature by providing new insights into expansive learning environments capable of addressing cognitive contradictions and ambiguities inherent in the changing contemporary work patterns in the construction context as a consequence of BIM deployment

A spatiotemporal perspective on empowerment

The complex and dynamic nature of project environments presents both opportunities and challenges for the empowerment of individuals and teams. Yet, empowerment is a complex concept in its own right, taking on multiple forms across people, is contextually embedded and shifts over time. As research on empowerment in projects continues to grow, pertinent questions are emerging aimed at promoting the growth of empowerment theory and its applicability in practice. For example, how do organizations empower employees at different levels and still be able to achieve goal congruence across the organization?; how does empowerment manifest itself across project phases?; and how does empowerment manifest across co-located or geographically/physically spaced individuals on the same or different projects/teams across the same organization? The multiplicity and dynamism of empowerment in projects across three aspects - space, time and levels, and their intersections are examined within the context of the complex, dynamic and uncertain operational realities of projects. It is argued that such a spatiotemporal agenda is better understood through the lens of chaos and complexity theory, a perspective that reveals the way in which empowerment is intertwined with other managerial interventions and business strategies for the successful delivery of projects

Dynamics of empowerment in projects

Empowerment varies depending on the targeted population, the targeted setting and also fluctuates across time. These perspectives have rarely been examined simultaneously and no theoretical framework has as yet articulated such an integrative perspective in any specific setting. The complex and dynamic nature of the project environment and the project life cycle in particular have significant implications for understanding how empowerment manifests in projects. To better understand the implications of empowerment’s multifaceted nature in a complex setting such as the project environment, we invoke complexity paradigm as a theoretical lens that is well positioned to help capture the essence of empowerment. From this theoretical framework, the true nature of how empowerment can intertwine with the complex and uncertain project context can be captured and described from the perspective of the workforce or actors engaged in the creation, execution, and closure of the project. Three preeminent questions that can aid this line of enquiry emerge from this review; how can organisations empower employees at different levels simultaneously within the same project team and still achieve goal congruence?; how does the changing nature of the project life cycle impact on employee empowerment experiences?; and what does the multidimensional perspective on empowerment add to our knowledge of empowerment in organisations

Supplemental Material, Swahili_Tool_w_english_Appenix_A - Predicting Civic Competencies Among East African Youth and Emerging Adults: Report on the Swahili General Self-Efficacy Scale

<p>Supplemental Material, Swahili_Tool_w_english_Appenix_A for Predicting Civic Competencies Among East African Youth and Emerging Adults: Report on the Swahili General Self-Efficacy Scale by Laura R. Johnson, Julie S. Johnson-Pynn, Christopher F. Drescher, Enoch Sackey, and Sophia Assenga in Emerging Adulthood</p