By: Hazwani Shafei, Rahimi A. Rahman, Ahmad Tarmizi Haron

Faculty of Civil Engineering Technology, Universiti Malaysia Pahang, Gambang 26300, Malaysia.

A clear organisational vision is crucial in adopting technology and innovation. To ensure successful adoption, it is essential to align this vision with technology and innovation key trends, identify the associated benefits, and proactively address potential opportunities. By doing so, construction organisations can position themselves for sustained growth and competitiveness in the market.

In today's era of technological acceleration, the construction industry is in the midst of a digital transformation driven by various emerging technologies and innovations. To maintain a competitive edge, it has become imperative for construction organisations to adopt these advancements. However, the construction technology and innovation adoption process can be complicated. It demands a clear organisational vision to leverage the benefits they offer fully. This article delves into the critical role of organisational vision in successfully adopting construction technology and innovation.

What are the key trends of construction technology and innovation in Malaysia?

In the realm of construction technology and innovation, Malaysia is rapidly evolving towards digital transformation, embracing Construction 4.0 – a set of industry 4.0 technologies. This proactive approach, backed by government and industry investments, drives progress in productivity, safety, health, sustainability & and, resiliency, well-being, and integrity. Key trends in Malaysia's construction technology and innovation landscape are illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Key trends in Malaysia's construction technology and innovation

Source: Construction 4.0 Strategic Plan (2021-2025)

Why adopting construction technology and innovation is essential?

Over the past decades, the construction industry's heavy reliance on manual labour has significantly hampered productivity, stalling its growth potential. This industry is particularly sensitive to economic fluctuations and external factors, leading to fluctuating growth rates and productivity shifts (Figure 2). Malaysia's construction industry experienced varying gross domestic product (GDP) growth rates from 2016 to 2022. They ranged from a high of 7.4% in 2016 to a low of -19.3% in 2020, rebounding to 5.2% in 2022. Unfortunately, construction's average productivity lags behind most other industries due to continued dependence on low-skilled foreign labour and limited adoption of construction technology and innovation. Therefore, adopting construction technology and innovation is crucial to enhancing productivity and bolstering the Malaysian economy's GDP contribution.

Figure 2. Overview of GDP and labour productivity by industries in Malaysia (2016-2022)

Source: Labour productivity, Malaysia (DOSM)

Why clear organisational vision is essential?

A clear vision empowers organisations to identify opportunities in adopting construction technology and innovation. This, in turn, enhances productivity, safety, health, sustainability and resiliency, well-being, and integrity. Adopting these advancements enables organisations to maintain a competitive edge and improve performance. Figure 3 presents a conceptual relationship between an organisation’s vision and technology and innovation, offering a significant solution to the issues confronting the construction industry and organisations.

Figure 3. The conceptual relationship between organisation vision with technology and innovation

The power of clear vision and how it benefits the organisation?

"An organisation vision is a declaration statement of a long-term goal and future aspirations."

In the context of adopting construction technology and innovation, a clear vision is essential. It enables organisations to prioritise the right technologies and innovations, aligning with their goals and future aspirations to realise their overall vision. Figure 4 depicts the numerous benefits a clear vision offers, facilitating goal attainment and enhancing competitiveness in a rapidly evolving business landscape.

Figure 4. Benefits of clear organisation vision of adoption of technology and innovation

What are the opportunities linking the role of the organisation’s vision with construction technology and innovation? 

Adopting construction technology and innovation opens numerous organisational opportunities, showcased in Figure 5. By adopting these advancements, organisations can significantly enrich their decision-making processes and empower their knowledge base. Additionally, this fosters professional development and contributes to the advancement of Sustainable Development Goal 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure.

Moving Forward:

Moving forward, it is crucial to link the organisation’s vision with construction and innovation adoption. In the era of Construction 4.0, organisations should harness this momentum to enhance project performance, sustainability, and growth. To facilitate this journey, a top priority is developing a decision tool to aid organisations in selecting critical Construction 4.0 technologies, especially when aiming to improve productivity, safety, health, sustainability resiliency, well-being, and integrity. This tool evaluates the organisation’s vision, project goals, and resource availability, aligning them with critical technologies that enhance project performance and overall productivity. Developing this decision tool enables organisations to confidently bridge the gap between vision with technology and innovation, ushering in a new era of construction excellence.

References:

Ahmad, N. Q. I., & Harun, M. S. (2022). Construction sector: A review of the labour market situation. Malaysia.

CIDB. (2021). Construction 4.0 Strategic Plan (2021-2025): Next Revolution of the Malaysian Construction Industry. Kuala Lumpur.

DOSM. (2023). Labour Productivity First Quarter 2023. Malaysia.

Langdon, R. R., & Sawang, S. (2018). Construction Workers' Well-Being: What Leads to Depression, Anxiety, and Stress? Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 144(2), 04017100. doi:10.1061/(asce)co.1943-7862.0001406

Yap, J. B. H., Skitmore, M., Lam, C. G. Y., Lee, W. P., & Lew, Y. L. (2022). Advanced technologies for enhanced construction safety management: investigating Malaysian perspectives. International Journal of Construction Management, 1–10. doi:10.1080/15623599.2022.2135951