Aligning BIM Adoption Drivers with BIM Implementation in Loosely Coupled Construction Systems

Abstract

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is considered an innovation for construction, with the potential to digitise various construction processes. Being an innovation, it affects and is affected by organisational aspects. At the same time, innovations are better observed at a project level. This study connects intra- and inter- organisational levels mobilised during BIM implementation. To explore the relation between BIM motivation and capabilities within firms and BIM implementation in projects, three case studies are analysed through the theoretical lens of loosely coupled systems. The results showed that despite the fact that the firms had strong external or internal BIM motivations and visions, at a network level, they rarely coordinated to support BIM implementation. To this end, the multi-actor networks of projects where firms were motivated by ‘internal’ drivers (e.g. quality assurance) for adopting BIM implemented BIM in a more collaborative and flexible way. On the contrary, networks of firms that were driven to BIM to comply with ‘external’ demand (e.g. macroscopic market pressures or client demand), were largely rigid and competitive during BIM implementation and did not allow for knowledge transfer. Drawing upon the empirical data other factors affecting mature BIM implementation and in need for further inter-organisational alignment were corporate compatibility, inter-firm knowledge mobility, and power dynamics among firms.