Research On The Driving Effect Of Digital Technology Assimilation On The Digital Technology Value:The Context Of AEC Enterprises

Against the backdrop of industrial digital transformation,architecture,engineering and construction(AEC)enterprises in China are actively seeking to create greater value through the adoption of digital technologies such as Building Information Modeling(BIM).Despite the numerous advantages of digital technology,many construction enterprises fail to improve performance after adopting these technologies.The low digital technology value(DTV)has become the concern and obstacle for many enterprises to apply digital technology.The ICT innovation diffusion theory suggests that the long-term value of digital technology depends on its effective assimilation after adoption.However,the academic community lacks a clear understanding of the concept of digital technology assimilation(DTA)and how DTA influences DTV within the context of AEC companies.Therefore,this study aims to(a)exploring the connotation and processes of DTA,analyze the measurement method of DTA,(b)revealing the process mechanism of DTA,(c)exploring how DTA influences DTV,(d)simulating the dynamic effect of DTA on DTV,under consideration of the key influence factors of DTA.The main research work and conclusions are as follows:(1)The paper develops a concept model of DTA and its impact on DTV with multi-case study.Grounded theory methodology is employed,utilizing data from three construction enterprises to identify and extract related concepts i.e.,DTA,organizational agility(OA),environmental dynamism(ED),and DTV.The results reveal that DTA consists of three dimensions: technology adaptation(TAD),technology acceptance(TAC),and technology infusion(TI).(2)The relationships between the process dimensions of digital technology absorption in AEC enterprises are revealed.A combination of confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling is employed to empirically test the relationships between the three process dimensions of DTA.The results show a progressive relationship between TAD,TAC and TI,with TAC mediating the relationship between TAD and TI.(3)The study clarifies the processes and pathways through which DTA in AEC enterprises influences DTV.Confirmatory factor analysis,structural equation modeling,and multiple regression analysis are employed to empirically test the mechanisms and pathways by which the three process dimensions of DTA influence DTV.The results indicate that all three process dimensions of DTA positively affect OA and DTV covering performance value(PV)and strategic value(SV)of digital technology.The TAD can influence DTV via single mediator,such as TAC,TI and OA,and serial mediators as well,such as TAC-TI,TAC-OA,TIOA and TAC-TI-OA.The TAC can influence DTV via single mediator,such as TI and OA,and serial mediators as well,such as TI-OA.And the TI can influence DTV via OA.Further,environmental dynamism(ED)positively moderators the relationship between TAD and DTV,the relationship between TAD and OA,the relationship between TI and OA,the relationship between TAC and DTV,and relationship between OA and the SV.However,the moderating effects of ED on the relationship between TAC and OA,the relationship between TI and OA,and the relationship between OA and benefit value of DTV are not significant.(4)Based on a system dynamics model,the study reveals the dynamic interactions among DTA,its key influencing factors,and DTV.Nine key influencing factors are identified with systemic literature review,and a system dynamics model is developed that incorporates these factors,the three process dimensions of DTA,and DTV.Dynamic simulations and sensitivity analyses are conducted to examine the system’s behavior.The findings indicate that DTA(including TAD,TAC,and TI)and digital technology value(including PV and SV)exhibit a synergistic growth trend over time.However,the growth rate initially increases and then decreases.In the early stages,TAD demonstrates rapid growth and significant advantages in PV.As time progresses,the influence of TAC and TI gradually becomes prominent,contributing to the synergistic effect on DTV and the gradual emergence of SV.The impact of TAD,TAC,and TI on PV is relatively similar,while SV is more susceptible to changes in the initial values of TAD.Digital leadership and an innovative organizational culture play significant facilitating roles in the behavioral evolution of TAD,TAC and TI.SV is most sensitive to changes in the policy environment(its supportive),while PV is most sensitive to the difficulty and complexity of technological compatibility.The contributions of this thesis lie in:(1)It deconstructs and measures the DTA in AEC enterprises context,supplementing and extending the theory of ICT innovation diffusion and providing measurement tools for the DTA in AEC enterprises.(2)It reveals the interrelationships among dimensions of DTA in AEC enterprises,offering a basic analytical framework for studying the DTA.(3)Considering both static and dynamic impact of DTA on DTV,it uncovers the mechanisms and pathways through which DTA influences DTV in AEC enterprises context.The results can provide guidance and reference for the digital transformation practices of AEC enterprises.This paper contains 37 figures,47 tables and 404 references.