Strategic management of barriers in the adoption of Construction 4.0: TOPSIS and 5W2H approach for sustainable development goal integration
Pallavi Dhamak, Padmanabha Aital, Anand Daftardar
Abstract
Purpose This study aims to identify and rank the barriers to adopting Construction 4.0 and to evaluate the effectiveness of practical strategies for overcoming these challenges, focusing on sustainable development goals (SDGs), technological integration and safety considerations. Design/methodology/approach This research paper identifies barriers related to the adoption of Construction 4.0 in the construction industry through a literature review of peerreviewed journal articles and construction industry experts. The study uses the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to the Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) to systematically evaluate and rank barriers to the adoption of Construction 4.0. Data were gathered through expert surveys, providing insights from experienced professionals within the construction industry. Then, the strategies were proposed and their effectiveness was evaluated. Also, these strategies were mapped with barriers and SDGs via the 5W2H (i.e., What, Why, Where, When, Who, How, and How Much) approach. Finally, a systematic framework for barrier management was proposed. Findings Results indicate that high initial cost and internal communication issues are the top-ranked barriers, followed closely by project management inefficiencies, lack of funding for innovation and lack of demand. Also, the effectiveness index value for the proposed eight strategies to mitigate the identified 34 barriers is 4.6, which falls between “high effectiveness” and “very high effectiveness.” The study proposes a barrier management framework, providing actionable strategies to address these high-impact barriers for smoother adoption of Construction 4.0. Research limitations/implications This study is limited to the perspectives of developing countries of construction sector professionals and focuses on a specific set of identified barriers. Broader generalizability may require further research across different countries or industries. Practical implications The findings provide actionable insights for construction managers, enabling them to prioritize and implement strategies that address skill gaps, promote technological integration and ensure safety compliance for the smooth adoption of Construction 4.0. Originality/value This research uniquely applies the TOPSIS approach to prioritize Construction 4.0 adoption barriers in the developing countries context, identifying and ranking critical barriers and proposing a decision-making framework that emphasizes sustainability, collaboration and skill development.