Evaluation of success factors to implement digitalization in the construction industry

PurposeThis study aims to identify and rank the key success factors linked with digitalization in the Indian construction sector. Because the construction firms in India are in the early stages of implementing digitalization in their operations, it provides a framework from which they may focus on the effectiveness of digitalization. Design/methodology/approachThis research study examines 12 success factors related to digitalization in construction, which are derived from various sectors. Furthermore, experts from the construction industry and academia have validated these factors with respect to the Indian construction sector. The multi-criteria decision-making techniques are further used to examine the interrelationship, ranking and weightage of digitalization success. Finally, the success factors are validated through a questionnaire-based empirical study followed by ranking using a t-test. The results from both approaches (company-specific and generalized) are compared and discussed. FindingsThis research identifies that selecting appropriate digital methods and techniques is a critical success factor as far as digitalization in the Indian construction scenario is concerned. Besides that, continuous monitoring and control in digital implementation significantly impact other factors. Research limitations/implicationsWhile similar results are obtained from approaches adopted in the study, a few success factors appear to differ in terms of their ranking position. Further studies can explore the finer details that can explain the behavior pattern. This study can also be extended by assessing the structural relationship among the identified factors that can throw more light on the dynamics of the continuation of digitalization in construction which can further help in formulating policies or digitalization rollout. Practical implicationsThe outcome of this study sheds light on construction business knowledge by stressing key success elements connected to digitalization in construction processes in the Indian construction sector. Moreover, this study shows that the success of digitalization in construction is similar to that of transformation in the information technology industry, where adopting suitable digital methods and techniques plays a vital role in the transformation process. Originality/valueDespite the multiple benefits of construction digitalization, limited research focuses on digitalization success factors, making this study unique. Furthermore, this study demonstrates that integrating Fuzzy decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory and maximum mean de-entropy approaches may be used to successfully prioritize success factors in the nascent stage of construction digitalization.