Digital tools in Malaysia and China towards construction industry revolution

Abstract

The unprecedented, exponential pace of change in every industry has caused an undergoing change especially on collaborative platforms and transformation of digitalization. However, the construction industry seems to be quite slow for the digitization compared to other industries. Incongruent with the large-scale construction industry, the productivity of this industry has lagged behind. Therefore, the aim of this study is to assess the status and adoption of digital tools (DTs) in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry for Malaysia and China, whereby three (3) objectives has been carried out which covers the adoption level, challenges of DTs adoption and the impacts on adoption to develop relationship analysis model for DTs in this industry. Additionally, questionnaire surveys were distributed to developer, architects, engineers, contractors in Malaysia and China. Total 62 valid responses were received from respondents to be analyzed through Content Analysis, Principle component Analysis (PCA) and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The results obtained suggests that the status of DTs adoption in Malaysia and China is still at a low level compared to developed countries. The major challenges are managing change to new technology, lack of cyber security of digital tools outcomes, extra cost for training and convenience increasing profession’s laziness. Moreover, the benefits of communication, management have a positive impact on future trend of management and profit; There is positive relationship between people related challenges and communication benefits; Productivity benefit has a significant relationship on assistance related future trend. People related challenges does give an impact on the relationship towards the success of the communication benefits. In order to drive the communication benefits, its import to cater the management as future trend to transform the success of DTs.