Acceptance of Building Information Modelling: a survey of professionals in the construction industry in Ghana

Building Information Modelling (BIM) can contribute significantly to the successful implementation of construction projects. This paper tests the level of acceptance of BIM in the construction industry in Ghana using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). TAM postulates that the level of success of an information system can be determined by user acceptance of the system, measured by factors including: perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEOU), attitudes towards using (ATU) and behavioural intentions to use (BUI) the system. Based on the TAM constructs, hypotheses were developed, questionnaire designed, and a survey was conducted among professionals within the construction industry. 200 questionnaires were distributed, with 125 responses obtained and analysed. Professionals’ behavioural intention to use BIM was determined by their attitude towards using BIM and perceived usefulness of BIM. Generally, the study has revealed that there is high level of acceptance of BIM among respondents. The findings enrich the understanding of user acceptance of BIM in the Ghanaian construction industry. If the factors identified are considered, it will successfully lead to significant acceptance and subsequent adoption of BIM in the Ghanaian construction industry. There is the need to create awareness on the importance and use of BIM among professionals in the Ghanaian construction industry, through workshops and seminars. It would also help if attention were to be paid to the technology in the curricular of academic institutions offering construction related programmes. Clients should be encouraged to demand for BIM in their projects.

[1]  C-W. Kim,et al.  The Adoption of Building Information Modeling in the Design Organization: An Empirical Study of Architects inKorean Design Firms , 2014 .

[2]  Keith D. Hampson,et al.  BIM for Sustainable Whole-of-life Transport Infrastructure Asset Management , 2014 .

[3]  Nik Kamariah Nik Mat,et al.  Examining a Theory of Planned Behavior (Tpb) and Technology Acceptance Model (Tam) in Internetpurchasing Using Structural Equation Modeling , 2012 .

[4]  Joshua Ayarkwa Ayirebi-Dansoh,et al.  Barriers to implementation of EMS in construction industry in Ghana , 2010 .

[5]  Ghang Lee,et al.  The Status of BIM Adoption on Six Continents , 2015 .

[6]  Marjan Hericko,et al.  Factors Affecting Acceptance and Use of Moodle: An Empirical Study Based on TAM , 2011, Informatica.

[7]  S. Goodman,et al.  Statistical tests, P values, confidence intervals, and power: a guide to misinterpretations , 2016, European Journal of Epidemiology.

[8]  Juan Gabriel Cegarra-Navarro,et al.  An Extension of the Technology Acceptance Model in Hospital-in-the-Home Units , 2013 .

[9]  Imriyas Kamardeen,et al.  The Impact of Individual Beliefs and Expectations on BIM Adoption in the AEC Industry , 2017 .

[10]  Emily Lundberg.  How to compete effectively with self-service technologies : The impact of technology readiness and the technology acceptance model on self-scanning , 2017 .

[11]  Hau Yan Leung,et al.  Building Information Modelling (BIM): A new paradigm for visual interactive modeling and simulation for construction project , 2008 .

[12]  C. Gunawardena.  COMPARISON OF EXISTING TECHNOLOGY ACCEPTANCE THEORIES AND MODELS TO SUGGEST A WELL IMPROVED THEORY/MODEL , 2014 .

[13]  Rizal Sebastian,et al.  Changing roles of the clients, architects and contractors through BIM , 2011 .

[14]  Fred D. Davis,et al.  Toward preprototype user acceptance testing of new information systems: implications for software project management , 2004, IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management.

[15]  Paul M. Teicholz,et al.  BIM for facility managers , 2013 .

[16]  Anoop Sattineni,et al.  Estimating with BIM: A Survey of US Construction Companies , 2011 .

[17]  M. Abubakar,et al.  Contractors Perception of the Factors Affecting Building Information Modelling (BIM) Adoption in the Nigerian Construction Industry , 2014 .

[18]  P C Lai,et al.  THE LITERATURE REVIEW OF TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION MODELS AND THEORIES FOR THE NOVELTY TECHNOLOGY , 2017 .

[19]  Zijia Liu.  Feasibility Analysis of BIM Based Information System for Facility Management at WPI , 2010 .

[20]  Christoph Merschbrock,et al.  BIM Technology acceptance among reinforcement workers - The case of Oslo Airport's terminal 2 , 2016, J. Inf. Technol. Constr..

[21]  Galal H. Galal-Edeen,et al.  Technology Acceptance Model for Mobile Health Systems , 2014 .

[22]  Jan Noyes,et al.  An assessment of the influence of perceived enjoyment and attitude on the intention to use technology among pre-service teachers: A structural equation modeling approach , 2011, Comput. Educ..

[23]  Shoude Li,et al.  Users-orientated evaluation of building information model in the Chinese construction industry , 2014 .

[24]  Charles M. Eastman,et al.  BIM Handbook: A Guide to Building Information Modeling for Owners, Managers, Designers, Engineers and Contractors , 2008 .

[25]  Jung-Ho Yu,et al.  BIM Acceptance Model in Construction Organizations , 2015 .

[26]  I. Ajzen,et al.  Belief, Attitude, Intention, and Behavior: An Introduction to Theory and Research , 1977 .

[27]  Edward Ayebeng Botchway.  Software Application Employed in Architectural Design Education: The Case of KNUST , 2016 .

[28]  Fred D. Davis,et al.  User Acceptance of Computer Technology: A Comparison of Two Theoretical Models , 1989 .

[29]  Yakubu Aminu Dodo,et al.  Building Information Modelling Penetration Factors in Malaysia , 2014 .

[30]  Daniel Forgues,et al.  Rethinking the Cost Estimating Process through 5D BIM: A Case Study , 2012 .

[31]  Bernard Kofi Baiden,et al.  Key Performance Indicators for Project Success in Ghanaian Contractors , 2016 .

[32]  Andy Field,et al.  Discovering statistics using SPSS, 2nd ed. , 2005 .

[33]  Timothy Teo,et al.  Investigating the Technology Acceptance among Student Teachers in Malaysia: An Application of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) , 2009 .

[34]  Alan Hore,et al.  Enabling the Re-engineering of Material Purchasing in the Construction industry by the Effective Use of Information Technology , 2004 .

[35]  Peter Demian,et al.  Benefits and barriers of building information modelling , 2008 .

[36]  LegrisPaul,et al.  Why do people use information technology , 2003 .

[37]  Mehmet Fuat Hergunsel.  Benefits of Building Information Modeling for Construction Managers and BIM Based Scheduling , 2011 .

[38]  G. Irianto,et al.  Determinants of Behavior Intention Of Accounting Information Systems Based Information Technology Acceptance , 2016 .

[39]  Richard Taylor.  Interpretation of the Correlation Coefficient: A Basic Review , 1990 .

[40]  M Murray,et al.  The integrated use of information technology in the construction industry , 2001 .

[41]  Thurasamy Ramayah,et al.  User Acceptance of the E-Government Services in Malaysia: Structural Equation Modelling Approach , 2010, Interdisciplinary Journal of Information, Knowledge, and Management.

[42]  Fred D. Davis.  Perceived Usefulness, Perceived Ease of Use, and User Acceptance of Information Technology , 1989, MIS Q..

[43]  Jun Wang,et al.  Building information modeling-based integration of MEP layout designs and constructability , 2016 .

[44]  David Gitumu Mugo,et al.  The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and its Application to the Utilization of Mobile Learning Technologies , 2017 .

[45]  U. Averweg.  Applicability of the technology acceptance model in three developing countries: Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and South Africa , 2005 .

[46]  John Ingham,et al.  Why do people use information technology? A critical review of the technology acceptance model , 2003, Inf. Manag..

[47]  Ming-Chih Chen,et al.  The Key Factors Influencing Internet Finances Services Satisfaction: An Empirical Study in Taiwan , 2016 .

[48]  Sangyoon Chin,et al.  Factors Affecting the BIM Acceptance of Construction Managers , 2015 .

[49]  Detmar W. Straub,et al.  The Relative Importance of Perceived Ease of Use in IS Adoption: A Study of E-Commerce Adoption , 2000, J. Assoc. Inf. Syst..

[50]  Chapter Xv.  The Technology Acceptance Model and Other User Acceptance Theories , 2009 .

[51]  C. C. Wong,et al.  Diffusion of Mobile Entertainment in Malaysia: Drivers and Barriers , 2007, WEC.