Factors Influencing BIM Integration with Emerging Technologies: Knowledge Coupling Perspective

Abstract

In recent years, construction organizations have tended to use building information modeling (BIM) in combination with emerging technologies. Yet, although previous scholarship has explored a number of antecedents of BIM adoption, little is known about factors influencing such a burgeoning phenomenon—BIM integration. Against this background, this study employs knowledge coupling theory to investigate antecedents of BIM integration intention (BII). This study surveys 167 managers in the Chinese construction industry and analyzes the data using the structural equation modeling technique. The results indicate that three types of knowledge inertia (i.e., routine problem-solving strategy) exert different effects on BII. Specifically, experience inertia positively affects BII, learning inertia negatively affects BII, and procedural inertia has no effect on BII. Moreover, both formal and informal knowledge governance are positively related to BII. Further, formal knowledge governance is found to weaken the negative link between learning inertia and BII but strengthen the positive link between experience inertia and BII. These findings contribute to the construction management literature by deepening our understanding of BIM integration. Implications on BIM integration for practitioners are also discussed.