Analyzing Digitalization Impact on Quality Management in Construction

This report critically analyzes the impact of digitalization on quality management aspects within construction projects. It begins by establishing the background and rationale for the study, highlighting the increasing use of technology in construction and its effects on project management. The research aims to understand the importance of quality management, evaluate digital tools like Building Information Modeling (BIM) and System Application and Product (SAP), and analyze the challenges of implementing digitalization. A literature review explores the relationship between quality management and competitive advantage, and examines the effectiveness of digital tools in enhancing construction quality. The research design employs a specific methodology, addressing research philosophy, approach, data collection, and ethical considerations. The report concludes with a discussion of the time schedule and references used, offering a comprehensive overview of digitalization's role in shaping quality management practices in the construction industry. This assignment explores the research methods to be used in the masters project including data collection and analysis.

Digitalization in construction projects
and the impact on the quality
management aspects

Table of Contents
1.0 INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................1
1.1 Background............................................................................................................................1
1.2 Research aim and objectives..................................................................................................2
1.3 Rationale of the study................................................................................................................3
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW..........................................................................................................3
2.1 Understanding the importance of quality management in construction projects..................3
2.2 Evaluating different digital tools for quality management in construction projects.............5
2.3 Analyzing different issues in implementing digitalization....................................................6
3.0 RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY.....................................................................8
3.1 Type of the study...................................................................................................................8
3.2 Research philosophy..............................................................................................................9
3.3 Research design...................................................................................................................10
3.4 Research approach...............................................................................................................10
3.5 Data collection.....................................................................................................................11
3.6 Sampling..............................................................................................................................11
3.7 Data analysis........................................................................................................................12
3.8 Research limitations.............................................................................................................12
3.9 Ethical consideration...........................................................................................................12
4.0 TIME SCHEDULE..................................................................................................................13
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................15

1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
Technologies are used in the both such as manufacturing and construction that has
changed the entire industrial sectors (Amaratunga, Haigh, Malalgoda & Keraminiyage, 2016).
The planning of construction is a complex activity for the management of construction projects
because it includes the selection of advanced technologies, assessment of required resources,
estimation of completion time etc. (Yang, 2018). In this context, construction is the process of
handling and assembling of material as well as tools in a complete operational facility of the
project. Information technology has a contribution to the transformation of industrial society into
an information society because technology is affecting businesses at a large extent. In this regard,
digitalization in each sector is changing the face of the competition in the world. (Sommer, 2015;
Hongyan, Dayi, Yun, Jianlin & Shuai, 2011). In this context, digitalization has entered into
construction industry to reduce the risk and protection of the workers at the site.
Digitalization in construction has been changed the industry dynamics because it
develops the opportunities and challenges for the project management in context of power
positions, shifting of roles and responsibilities etc. The involvement of digitalization in
construction is strengthening the relevant industry because it is contributing to quality
measurement by improving the efficiency of the equipment and processes. Moreover, few of the
studies reveals that there is a positive relationship between digitalization and quality aspects of
construction. Additionally, the work is performed on the basis of quality standards that are
associated with Total Quality Management (TQM) tool (Ablikim et al., 2010; Karyotakis &
Moustakis, 2014). Furthermore, the involvement of digitalization in construction helps to
minimize the time, cost; however, the cost for small sized construction companies is maximized
by using digital tools because it enhances the overall cost of the construction project by
involving the heavy equipment in small construction projects (Hong, Xue & Thottethodi, 2011).
Digitalization required in the construction of the bridge and large buildings because they
require innovations in the designs (Ibem & Laryea, 2014). The risk for the human beings reduces
due to use of the digital tools in large construction because it involves the 3D modeling and
digital engineering for the infrastructure of the buildings. Further, digitalization is helpful for the
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construction projects because it relates to implementation of quality measurements in
construction. Moreover, the quality improves by involving the efficient material handling that is
helpful to avail the material on time at the location of the site (Harris & McCaffer, 2013).
However, it is not easy for companies to implement digitalization in construction because it
increases the number of issues and challenges related to the operation of the tools, lack of digital
education, low budget etc. Moreover, it also deals with a major problem related to the legacy
system in the implementation of digitalization (Maciel, 2011). To implement the digital tools, the
company has to follow the legal rules and have to take the authentic right to use the digital tool
for the construction of buildings.
Workers resist to accept the change in the construction of involvement of digitalization
because it generates a fear in the workers that a replacement of workers can take place after
implementing digital tools. However, the fear can be reduced by effective interaction with
workers. and providing required training to existing workforce to operate the digital tools in the
construction. It might be possible that employees easily accept the digitalization as well as
morale of the workers can be boosted. Therefore, it shows that digitalization in construction has
a major impact on quality delivery and improvement in the consumption of excess of time.
However, it requires authentic permission as per the legal rules to implement the digitalization in
the construction company.
1.2 Research aim and objectives
The aim and objectives of the study are as follows-
Aim
To critically analyze the impact of digitalization on quality management aspects in
construction projects
The objectives of the study will be as follows-
 To understand the importance of quality management in construction projects
 To evaluate different digital tools for quality management in construction projects
 To analyze different issues in implementing digitalization
 To recommend strategies to deal with the issues of digitalization in construction projects
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1.3 Rationale of the study
The quality of construction is affected by the involvement of advanced technologies from
inception to completion of the project. Quality measurements in the construction are based on the
innovative tools and aspects to maintain the standard of the quality (Becerik-Gerber, Jazizadeh &
Calis, 2011). Here, the study will be conducted to assess the impact of digitalization on quality
management aspects in construction projects. By conducting the current study, it will be easy for
the project managers to learn about the process of digitalization. Further, the knowledge
regarding use of different types of digital tool will also be developed in project manager.
Moreover, it would be helpful for the construction companies to assess the importance of quality
aspects by incorporating the digital tools in construction. On the other hand, the current study
will also provide the outcomes regarding of use and implications of digital tools. Additionally, it
will also generate the competitiveness for the construction companies in the market.
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Understanding the importance of quality management in construction projects
Quality assurance process is required to measure the quality plan and to control the
quality standards. Here, the importance of quality management in construction are explained as
follows-
 Quality management and construction projects- According to several studies, the
construction projects always based the time, cost, delivery of quality and focuses on
maintaining a balance between cost and quality elements which are required for the
success of the projects (Mallawaarachchi & Senaratne, 2015, p.11; Rumane, 2016; Meng,
2012; Chen & Luo, 2014). On the other hand, Doloi (2012) stated that effective quality
management programs are helpful to reduce the overall cost of the projects and leads to
problem free running of the construction projects. Apart from this, Kelly, Male &
Graham (2014) argued that involvement of quality management in the construction
maximizes the overall cost of the projects because it requires to implement the electrical
tools to manage the quality. Thus, it shows that there is a relationship between quality
management and construction projects and are interlinked through time management,
cost control and delivery of quality projects in the society.
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Kerzner (2004) stated that quality management is important for the construction
projects which is directly associated with the life cycle of the projects. If the project
manager uses the quality assurance techniques in the construction then it affects the
overall quality outcome of the construction projects. On a contrary, Hannure & Kulkarni
(2014) asserted that fake construction projects take place if the quality aspects are not
involved as per the required standards. Additionally, the occurrence of errors in the
construction arises frequently which leads to cost for the contractors as well as owners of
the projects. Nonetheless, Harrington, Voehl & Wiggin (2012) mentioned that quality
concepts require to implement new designs, structures which demanded the involvement
of skilled workers in the project teams. However, Olawale & Sun (2010) examined that
quality management in the construction industry can be achieved by fulfilling the
requirements of the designers, government agencies, contractors, owners etc. Therefore,
it indicates that quality management can be achieved by quality assurance tools and
employing the skilled workers in the project teams. However, the level of quality
standards can be reduced by delaying in fulfilling the expectations of the parties of
construction projects.
 Quality management and competitive advantage- Several studies reveal that there is a
link between quality management and competitive advantages because by keeping the
quality records in the construction helps to achieve competitive advantage (Chileshe &
Watson, 2001; Chileshe & Watson, 2003; McWilliams & Siegel, 2011). Further, Hannure
& Kulkarni (2014) Stated that quality management takes place through effective material
management in the construction projects because effective management of materials
enhances the chances to reduce the cost of material handling. Moreover, also accelerate
overall opportunities to maintain the inventories of material and deliver the required
material on time for the completion of projects. On a contrary, Pfaff (2012) argued that
automation plays a key role in the maintenance of quality in construction projects;
however, contractors are not able to prefer the heavy tools in the small construction
projects to maintain the excellent quality because it requires the higher cost to transport
and use the tools at the site. Further, Harris & McCaffer (2013) asserted that Total
Quality Management (TQM) is supportive to offer the competitive advantage in all fields
because businesses of contractors have been explored through the involvement of quality
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standards for success of projects. It reflects that quality management has a contribution in
the achievement of competitive advantage because in current construction sites people
accept the quality products which improve the life of the constructed site. Further,
effective material management also helps to improve the quality of construction due to
timely availability of material. In this manner, it enhances the chances to grab the
competitive advantages of the construction industry.
2.2 Evaluating different digital tools for quality management in construction projects
Several digital tools used in the construction projects, out of them there are two digital
tools such as Building Information Modeling, System Application and Product has been
described in following manner-
 Building Information Modeling (BIM) - Bryde, Broquetas & Volm (2013) Stated that
BIM system is used by contractors especially in highway and bridge construction projects
to improve the quality of the construction. It is a platform of the transformation of
integrated information among the parties to facilitates the quality of construction projects.
Similarly, Azhar (2011) asserted that BIM is based on the computer-generated
dimensions which are used for the maintaining of quality by applying to the design,
operational issues, construction site etc. On the other hand, Ghaffarianhoseini et al.
(2017) examined that BIM is an object-oriented model which is helpful to extract the
required information from various users and analyze the information. Additionally,
analyzed information used for the effective decision-making which has a contribution in
improvement and quality delivery of the construction buildings. However, Lee, Salama &
Wang (2014) argued that BIM requires the legal ownership to access as well as protect
the data from copyright. Besides this, Eastman, Teicholz, Sacks & Liston (2011)
mentioned that with the help of BIM, the construction quality improved and outputs
derived in a flexible manner to implement the automation. It indicates that BIM is an
effective digital tool which is helpful for the construction projects because information
can be shared on an integrated basis in the entire team. Moreover, effective decisions take
place through integrated information which enhances the quality of construction.
 System Application and Product (SAP)- Material management has a contribution in the
improvement of overall quality of construction projects because it is associated with
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organization’s material flow, planning, controlling on access of material etc. (Tianshou,
Yuying, Zhibo, Yinchun, Jiamao & Wenting, 2011). In this context, Reddy & Rao (2017)
asserted that SAP is a computer embedded software which is used to maintain the
inventories of material, maximize the procurement, minimize the operating cost of the
projects etc. Moreover, it helps to deliver the quality of material on time at construction
site through implementing an integrated system of material management and
collaborating the activities. On the other hand, Cosma, Iannello, Gianluca, Sirio &
Christian (2018) mentioned that SAP is an effective software which is used to get all the
detail information of material by only on a single click and accordingly, the material uses
for the further process of construction. Besides this, stated that by maintaining the records
through SAP, waste materials minimize as well as errors of manual records can be
reduced for material management in construction. However, Kesari, Chang & Seddon
(2003) argued that technically skilled employees required to operate the SAP software in
the construction projects which increases overall cost for the projects. On a contrary,
Patare, Minde & Pawar (2016) asserted that implementation of SAP software requires the
higher cost to implement which is not affordable for the small-scale construction
companies. Hence, it reveals that construction companies prefer the SAP for the effective
handling of material which delivers the quality projects to the societies. The particular
software is helpful to reduce the manual errors in material handling; however, it
demanded the huge cost to implement the software in the construction projects.
2.3 Analyzing different issues in implementing digitalization
The implementation of digitalization is not an easy task because the companies deal with
different issues involving legacy system, resistance to change and low budget, lack of digital
education etc. All these issues and challenges are as follows-
 Legacy system- According to Khurana, Hadley, Lu & Frincke (2010), digitalization is
one of the important aspects for the construction companies because it records all the
required information in a digital format. In this context, Dillon, Wu, & Chang (2010)
stated that implementation of digitalization is not an easy task for the companies because
it demanded fulfillment of a legal system to operate the software at working site.
Furthermore, Laguna & Crespo (2013) asserted that digitalization in the industry requires
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the free flow of information in the electronic tools which can be stolen by other in
absence of security. Here, free flow of information is a challenge for the construction
companies at the time of digitalization. The companies demanded liability to access the
relevant data. Similarly, Curry, O’Donnell, Corry, Hasan, Keane & O’Riain (2013)
explained that liability issues related to defects in software and smart product which are
adopted by companies for the projects. On a contrary, Takabi, Joshi & Ahn (2010)
mentioned that implementation of digital tools in the companies deal with the issues
related to security of digital data, IP addresses, Information Technology (IT) security, IT
infrastructure etc. according to the legal system. Therefore, it indicates that fulfillment of
legal requirement is a challenge in the implementation of digitalization in construction
which focuses on the involvement of IT security, infrastructure etc. Additionally, it also
emphases on the free flow of information on the site for the convenience of the
availability of data which is not appropriate for the secret projects.
 Resistance to change and low budget- Change is good for the development of
construction; however, the contractors and construction company’s deal with the issues
related to resistance to change because existing workers do not accept the innovations in
construction processes (Gupta, 2018). In this regard, Demailly (2014) asserted that
workers have an assumption that new employees can be appointed on the place of
existing workers due to the involvement of digitalization. However, digitalization has a
support to fulfill the demand of the customers with quality and expected time frame.
Apart from this, Cooper & Pile (2014) stated that resistance to change arises in the
construction industry due to lack of awareness, education, training etc. Moreover, the fear
of digitalization reduces the number of loyal workers in the company. Besides this,
Loebbecke & Picot (2015) stated that digitalization in construction process significantly
improves productivity and reduces the risk related to consumption of excess time through
manual activities. However, implementation of digitalization in small construction
projects enhances the overall cost of the projects due to the implementation of internet
networks and facilitates the wired services. On a contrary, digitalization is helpful in the
minimizing the fuel costs, time and maintenance expenses of machinery because
everything is based on the digital tools. Thus, it reflects that resistance to change is a
major issue in the implementation of digitalization construction companies because it
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focuses on the involvement of skilled employees related to technology. Moreover, low
budget construction companies not be able to implement digitalization because it
enhances overall cost for the project.
 Lack of digital education- Few studies revealed that lack of digital education is one of
the major issues for the implementation of digitalization because it remains engaged with
electronic tools and equipment which demanded educated workers Voogt, Erstad, Dede
& Mishra, 2013; Tsai & Chai, 2012). In this context, Bates, Bates & Sangra (2011) stated
that the issue related to the lack of digital education minimizes by providing adequate
training to the existing workforce so that effective results can be achieved. On a contrary,
William (2014) asserted that construction industry basically depends on the labor class
because all hard works done by labors instead of professionals. In this regard, training
can be provided to labors for the timely completion of the projects and to reduce the
waste of materials on site. However, Margaryan, Littlejohn & Vojt (2011) argued that
lack of digital knowledge can affect the quality of construction buildings; nonetheless,
skilled and professionals of software can be appointed to deal with the challenge of lack
of education regarding digitalization. Here, the replacement of existing employees
demotivates the workers that the organization merely think about the benefits of the
company instead of workers. It shows that a lack of digital knowledge develops the
problems for the contractors but the issues can be resolved by providing adequate training
and appointing the skilled people in the projects. Hence, the productive results can be
achieved by implementing digitalization in the construction process.
3.0 RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
Research methodology is used to understand and application of different methods,
designs, approaches, data collection tools etc. in the study. The current study’s research
methodology will be as follows in a prescribed manner-
3.1 Type of the study
Basically, there are two types of research studies involving qualitative and quantitative. A
quantitative study based on the application of statistical tools and test to derive the optimum
outcomes of the study. However, the qualitative study provides a huge description regarding
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social constructs because it is used to derive the vast information about the research problem
(Neuman, 2013). In a quantitative study, researcher measure the data by applying ANNOVA, t-
test, Chi-square etc. to get the optimum and relevant results of the study whereas in qualitative
study researcher is not allowed to use the technical tools and tests because it is based on in-depth
analysis of the study (Saunders, 2011). By considering the importance of both studies, the
current study will prefer the mixed methods like qualitative and quantitative because it would
enable to better understand the socially constructed environment. With the help of mixed
methods, the researchers can get the detail information regarding the implementation of
digitalization and impact on the quality of construction industries will be easily found by
applying the correlation technique. In this manner, an effective relation can be found between
digitalization and the impact on quality aspects. Moreover, if the company will use digitalization
then the quality will improve and vice versa. Hence, the use of mixed methods for the current
study will be justifiable.
3.2 Research philosophy
Research philosophy is related to beliefs and assumptions that affect the whole process of
research to investigate the reality of the research problem (Saunders, 2011). Fundamentally, two
types of research philosophies used by the researcher such as interpretivism and positivism on
the basis of need of the study. By considering this, the researcher is allowed to use own ideas and
experience regarding the research problem in interpretivism philosophy; however, in positivism
researcher found the results on the basis of facts and figures which depends on the application of
statistical tools (Petty, Thomson & Stew, 2012). At this juncture, the current study will use the
interpretivism philosophy to understand the digitalization and its impact on the quality aspects of
construction. Here, the use of positivism is not suitable for the current study because researcher
will be biased towards the achieved results of facts. On the other hand, with the help of
interpretivism philosophy, the researcher will be able to get the effective outcomes regarding the
digitalization because people will state the detail information related to benefits, issues, the risk
of the digitalization and effects on the quality that it improves or reduces. Thus, the adoption of
interpretivism philosophy will be appropriate for the current study.
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3.3 Research design
Predominantly, research designs are a performa which provide the clue regarding the
criteria of entire study through which researchers focuses on the achievement of aim (Saunders,
2011). Here, three types of research designs adopted by researchers like exploratory,
explanatory, descriptive designs. In this context, descriptive research designs based on social
interaction with participants to observe the detail information regarding the research problem
(Wildemuth, 2016). Further, explanatory research design creates a cause and effect relationship
between the variables of the study; nonetheless, exploratory designs has a support to develops
the new aspects and perception regarding the research problem (Akkermans & Vos, 2003;
Harrison & Reilly, 2011). Here, the current study will adopt the explanatory research design
because the study has two variables such as digitalization and impact on the quality of the
construction which shows that quality depends on the implementation of digitalization.
Moreover, a positive relationship will be found between digitalization and quality because
digitalization improves the quality of products. In this situation, exploratory research design
would not be appropriate to use because it requires to apply scientific tools to experiment new
insights for the research. Thus, the use of explanatory design will be justifiable for the current
study.
3.4 Research approach
Substantially, there are two types of research approaches such as inductive and deductive
that are preferred by the researcher as per the objective of the study. In this regard, the inductive
approach basically commences with specific information and ends with generalization by in
sighting detail information regarding research problem (Saunders, 2011). However, deductive
approach begins with general information and comes to specific information by eliminating the
unwanted and ineffective elements of the study (Gioia, Corley & Hamilton, 2013). Apart from
this, the inductive approach is used in the qualitative study; however, the deductive approach is
demanded in the quantitative study because it uses different statistical tools to derive the exact
outcomes. By considering the weightage of both approaches, the current study will use a
inductive approach because it will provide the specific information regarding the use of
digitalization and impact on the quality of construction. In an inductive approach, the researcher
will get merely theoretical aspects of the digitalization. This would offer an opportunity to
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