IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science

PAPER • OPEN ACCESS

The impact of modern construction technology on the workforce in the

construction industry
To cite this article: H Agenbag and C Amoah 2021 IOP Conf. Ser.: Earth Environ. Sci. 654 012001

View the article online for updates and enhancements.

This content was downloaded from IP address 213.182.210.107 on 19/02/2021 at 12:47

The ASOCSA 14th Built Environment Conference IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 654 (2021) 012001 doi:10.1088/1755-1315/654/1/012001

The impact of modern construction technology on the

workforce in the construction industry

H Agenbag and C Amoah

Department of Quantity Surveying and Construction Management University of the
Free State. Bloemfontein, 9300, South Africa

Abstract: This study investigated the impact of the use of construction technology equipment
on the workforce in the construction industry. This study made use of the quantitative
approach. Questionnaires were sent out to construction industry professionals, such as project
managers, quantity surveyors, engineers, and owners of construction companies. Data received
was analysed using descriptive statistics. The findings reveal that the use of construction
equipment will have a tremendous impact on the workforce as one equipment would be able to
execute work that could be done by a sizeable number of labourers. It was also found that the
productivity of construction projects in South Africa can be increased by making use of
construction technology equipment. However, it will be a herculean task to fully adopt
construction technology equipment in project execution in South Africa as respondents believe
the construction industry is heavily relied upon by the government to generate employment.
There is also a perceived lack of expertise and lack of knowledge regarding the use of
construction technology equipment among the workforce in the construction industry of South
Africa. It is therefore suggested that construction companies invest in these different
equipment, which will surely assist labourers and also speed up construction projects. The
government must also look for areas of the economy to create jobs instead of relying heavily
on the construction industry

Keywords: Construction technology, equipment, labourers, productivity, South Africa

1. Introduction
It is of great importance for construction firms to start making use of more innovative construction
technology, especially in the current era. Tatum [1] said that it is very important for construction firms
to make use of innovative technologies because it will enable them to firstly win more projects, and
secondly, it will also help them to gain better financial results on the project. The professionals in the
construction industry need to make use of construction technologies in order to stand a chance to be
competitive in the industry. The establishment and efficient use of these innovative technologies will
surely increase the competitiveness of construction firms [1]. These advantages stem from distinctive
improvements in operations, technical capability, and the construction firm will be seen as a company
that makes use of modern construction technologies.
In South Africa, it is proven that large construction projects take up to 20% more time than
the estimated date of completion, and this is believed to have caused the budget of projects to increase
by more than 80% [2]. It can cause enormous problems when construction projects are behind time
and cost developers more money. Therefore, increased productivity is needed on construction sites
these days in order to ensure the project stays on track and does not fall behind schedule. A study
done showed that 52% of construction companies still prefer to use pen and paper to conduct
estimates, do take-offs, bid management, and other processes [3]. In the same study done by Windapo

Content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 licence. Any further distribution
of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI.
Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd 1
The ASOCSA 14th Built Environment Conference IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 654 (2021) 012001 doi:10.1088/1755-1315/654/1/012001

[4], it was found that 32% of construction companies still make use of normal excel spreadsheets to
do their proposals and other activities like rate build-ups.
The performance of the construction industry in terms of the functionality of the product, the
quality in the industry, and the productivity in the industry are one of the lowest when compared to
other industries [5]. The reason for this is the low rate of innovation in the construction industry [6]
[5]. The main reasons for low labour productivity in some developing countries are the labour’s
experience and skill, the labour’s age, the labour’s education level, the size of the construction project,
and building technique and technology [7]. The above-mentioned reasons are just some of the reasons
mentioned by Alaghbari et al. [7].
From the above discussions, it is clear that there is a problem with productivity and a lack of
innovation in the construction industry. It is therefore very important to do this study and to determine
whether making use of modern construction technologies will affect the productivity of labourers in
the construction industry. Innovative construction technology can either be the materials used in the
construction process or the equipment that is used in the execution of a construction project. In this
study, the equipment aspect of construction technology is considered, and the study investigated the
impacts it has on the workforce in the construction industry.

1.1 Research objectives

The main objectives of the study are
i. To determine the impact of modern construction technology on the workforce in the
construction industry of South Africa.
ii. To determine whether construction companies in South Africa would be able to use modern
construction technology instead of labourers.
iii. To analyse the effect that the use of modern construction technology has on productivity on a
construction site.

2 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 The South African construction industry.

The South African construction industry is developed through construction projects that are
established by developers. These developers and future occupants of the proposed buildings
(stakeholders) have certain requirements and standards that must be adhered to. These requirements
and standards, on their turn, have a great impact on the construction industry as a whole because
everything must happen according to the requirements and standards set by the different stakeholders.
In general, the construction industry consists of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and
eventually taking down the old buildings in the infrastructure of a country [8]. The South African
construction industry has shown a lot of potential over the last few years, but the performance of this
industry is constricted by a lot of factors inside or outside of the industry [9]. If these factors are not
examined and understood, there will be no or low growth in the construction industry. This low
growth in the construction industry will surely have a very negative impact on the South African
economy as a whole [9].
When looking specifically at the construction industry of South Africa, roughly 50% of the
total output in the construction industry of South Africa is connected to civil engineering projects
(Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB), [10]. These projects consist of roads, power
plants, water supplies, and the drainage of waste. Residential projects like housing contribute up to
25% of the total output. The other 25% is in hotels, offices, hospitals, factories, and other buildings
similar to those mentioned [10]. The construction industry in South Africa is one of the main
providers in the country’s economy. The percentage contributed by the industry is not encouraging in
terms of the gross domestic product in South Africa. According to CIDB [11], the South African
construction industry contributes up to 50% of the overall capital investment of the country.
According to data gathered by Statistics South Africa [12], in the year 2012, the total revenue in the
construction industry calculated to R15.68 billion; in the year 2013, it increased to a staggering
R16.48 billion and in the year 2014, the total revenue decreased to R15.42 billion. By taking these
figures into account, it is estimated that by the year 2020, the South African construction industry will
be growing by an annual rate of 2.62% per year [13].

2
The ASOCSA 14th Built Environment Conference IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 654 (2021) 012001 doi:10.1088/1755-1315/654/1/012001

There are various challenges that the South African construction industry has to face on a
regular basis. Some of these challenges are the scarcity of important resources like skilled labourers,
financial capital, and the latest construction technology, and these challenges cause the construction
industry to be unstable and unsettled [14]. Windapo and Cattell [15] also found that there are twelve
challenges that directly have an impact on the overall growth and development of the South African
construction industry. These challenges are (1) the capacity of the public sector, (2) the gap between
the skills available and the skills that are required, (3) globalisation, (4) the capacity for sustainable
empowerment, (5) credit and interest rates, (6) poverty, (7) technology, (8) the availability of vacant
land, (9) the infrastructure, (10) the capacity that can be delivered, (11) the increases in the cost of
building materials that are used in construction and (12) statutes and regulations.
The challenges mentioned above can sometimes be the main reason why contractors in South
Africa cannot maintain and develop executive staff or skilled labourers, or a good enough supply of
basic equipment needed in the construction industry. This lack of skilled labourers in the construction
industry of South Africa leaves the contractors with no other option than to use unskilled labour.
These unskilled labourers do not have the required knowledge, and therefore the quality of the work
they do is not up to acceptable standards [4].

2.2 The construction industry as a means of job creation.

In the South African economy, job creation is very important because South Africa is one of the
countries with the highest unemployment rates in the world [16]. When a country’s unemployment is
very high, it will cause the structure of the economy of that country to be weak, and this could be a
very big problem. This structural weakness can, on its turn, cause things like social problems, poverty,
inequality, and in worse cases, it could also cause a change in the government of a country. The
unemployment level of South Africa, in comparison to other countries, can be seen as high, with a
percentage of 25% [16].
There are many ways that the construction industry can create jobs. By upgrading the
infrastructure of a country, it can create job opportunities for unemployed people in the country. As
we know, the infrastructure of any country must be upgraded and maintained on a regular basis. The
construction industry can use this upgrading or maintaining of the South African infrastructure as a
way to contribute to job creation in South Africa. The construction industry can have a great impact
on the country’s unemployment figures (see table 1).

Table 1: A comparison between the South African economic sector of 2009 and 2013.

Growth in
the
Growth in
Number of number of Average income
income
Sector employees employees in Rand
(2009 –
(2009 –
2013)
2013)
2009 2013 2009 2013
Mining 500 000 515,000 0.7% 10,348 15,562 10.7%
1 239 1 148
Manufacturing -1.9% 8,547 12,810 10.6%
000 000
Electricity, Gas,
60 000 62 000 0.8% 19,481 28,385 10.1%
etc.
Construction 458 000 432 000 -1.5% 6,672 10,533 12.1%
Wholesale, trade, 1 681 1 689
0.1% 6,570 9,168 8.7%
hotels, restaurants 000 000
Transport,
storage, 362 000 380 000 1.2% 12,368 17,593 9.2%
communication
Finance,
1 863 1 841
insurance, 0.3% 10,737 14,502 7.8%
000 000
business services
Community, 2 163 2 398 2.6% 11,132 16,596 10.5%

3
The ASOCSA 14th Built Environment Conference IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 654 (2021) 012001 doi:10.1088/1755-1315/654/1/012001

social, personal 000 000

services
8 326 8 465
Total 0.4% 9,614 13,908 9.7%
000 000
Source: Town and Africa, 2012

From Table 1, it is clearly indicated that the number of employees in the construction industry in 2009
was 458 000, and the same number decreased to 432 000 in 2013. Thus, the construction industry
recorded a negative growth from 2009 to 2013. But because of this negative growth rate, the Average
income in Rand increased from R6 672 in 2009 to R10 533 in 2013 with the highest growth rate of
12,1%. This is a significant growth in the average income in the construction industry. After looking
at table 1, it is clear that a balance should be established between the number of employees and the
average income.
According to CIDB [10], the construction industry consists out of 8% of the total formal
employment, and about 17% of the industry falls under the total informal employment. The bad news
is that about 70% of the manual labour in the South African construction industry falls under the
semi-skilled or unskilled category. This does not take away the fact that the construction industry is
seen as one of the best employers in South Africa. As construction spending increases the
employment also increases. The reason for this being that if more construction works are done, then
more labourers will be required, and thus more semi-skilled or unskilled labourers will be employed
[10].

2.3 Modern technology in the construction industry

A general motivation for the use of modern construction technology can be that more and more
developers seek contractors that can construct buildings faster, in a more productive manner and even
taller buildings. Therefore, it can be very beneficial to contractors to incorporate modern construction
technologies into their construction processes. These technologies will help them in achieving this
goal set by developers.
Construction technology forms a crucial part of all the careers involved in the construction
industry. Construction technologies can be beneficial during the following tasks: site inspections cost
estimating, project management, site supervision, construction safety, and a lot more. Because
efficiency and productivity are very important in the construction industry, the use of construction
technology can be very useful in order to complete a project in a productive and efficient way. When
creating, designing, or erecting a structure, construction technology can be used to make the work
easier. The construction industry constantly changes because of new designs, new materials, and new
approaches. In the past, the people in the construction industry saw construction technology as
building houses out of logs and then using mud to seal the structure. Nowadays, construction
technology is more innovative and complex. The use of computers to design houses, the use of
prefabricated building parts, and the use of green technology to create eco-friendly buildings are just
some of the technologies that are used in the current era of the construction industry [17].

4
The ASOCSA 14th Built Environment Conference IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 654 (2021) 012001 doi:10.1088/1755-1315/654/1/012001

Robotics used in prefabrication of concrete A general surveyor is surveying the

Source: https://www.bft- construction area using a drone.
international.com/en/artikel/bft_New_carrou
sel_system_for_precast_element_production Source:
_in_China_2208665.html http://www.constructionmanagermagazine.c
om/news/uk-construction-use-thousands-
drones-2030/

Autonomous vehicles working on site A crane is lifting a part of an office building

Source:https://www.theb1m.com/video/9- that was constructed off-site into place.
construction-tech-trends-to-watch Source:
https://www.bftinternational.com/en/artikel/
bft_New_carrousel_system_for_precast_ele
ment_production_in_China_2208665.html

Figure 1: Examples of modern construction equipment

Skibniewski [18] said that intelligent building and the use of construction technology have
been very beneficial to the construction industry in the last decade. Construction technology and
intelligent building have considerable impacts on any building’s energy profile. According to
Skibniewski [18], it is very important to start using construction technology more when designing and
building. Construction technology can also be very helpful in reaching objectives set by different
stakeholders in the construction industry. Zavadskas, [19] mentions some of the modern construction
equipment as robotics for task execution, drones (Unmanned aerial vehicles) for site survey,
photographs, inspections, and progress report, using a crane to lift and fit building units in position,
and autonomous vehicles for carrying a load (see Figure 1).

2.4 Productivity generating factors in the construction industry

Productivity can be defined in a lot of ways; in the construction industry, it can be defined as the units
of work that are finished per hour by a single labourer. All of the definitions of productivity describe
it as the input compared to the output on construction sites. It is very important to understand that the
more productive a construction project is, the more profitable it will be. Mainly low productivity can
be a result of the low quality of finished work, poor management of the construction process, and bad
working conditions. The performance of the workforce in the construction industry of South Africa is
mainly linked to cost, quality, and time [7]. Normally labour unrest is the main reason why
productivity can be low on construction sites. When this happens, it could have enormous impacts on
the quality and then also the costs of construction. Statistics recorded by the Department of Labour
show that in 2013 alone, there were more strikes than the total strikes for the 5 previous years. The
number of strikes also shown an increase of 15.1% from 2012 to 2013. The main reason for these
strikes can be because of bonuses, wages, or any other disputes that have a relationship with the
compensation of labourers [10].
As stated before, productivity has a big effect on profitability, and therefore, to achieve the
maximum income on the project, it is of utmost importance to control all the possible factors that may
have an impact on the productivity on construction sites. Delays on construction sites are mostly
caused by the workforce not being very productive [7]. For this reason, it is very important to
determine precisely what the factors are that influence the productivity of the workforce. Factors
influencing productivity can be categorised in three different categories: (1) the focus of the

5
The ASOCSA 14th Built Environment Conference IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 654 (2021) 012001 doi:10.1088/1755-1315/654/1/012001

organisation itself which refers to the objectives and goals set by the client; (2) the contractor’s
characteristics which refers to the type of ownership, the contractor's experience and the type of staff
employed by the contractor; and (3) a poor management strategy which refers to the poor
management of tools and approaches [7]. El-Gohary and Aziz [20], on the other hand, categorise
factors affecting labour productivity into four categories, namely: (1) management factors; (2)
technical and technological factors; (3) human and labour factors and (4) external factors.

3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The methodology studies the way in which the research will be carried out. The techniques and
approaches that the researcher use is normally called the research methodology [21]. For this study,
the research approach adopted is a quantitative approach. A non-probability sampling technique
where different samples are obtained in a data collection method that does not give every individual in
the target population an even chance to be selected to take part in the study [22] was used to select the
participants. The participants are construction professionals such as Project managers, Engineers,
Quantity surveyors, and owners of the construction industry operating from Bloemfontein and
Kimberley.
Structured questionnaires were personally distributed to the respondents at their offices. In
some instances, the questionnaires were emailed to the respondents. The respondents then filled the
questionnaire and emailed it back or called the researcher to fetch the completed questionnaire from
their offices. A total of 42 respondents were selected randomly and asked to participate in the survey.
The first section of the questionnaire covered the features of the respondents, and the second section
covered questions in relation to modern construction technology equipment. Out of the 42
questionnaires sent out, 22 completed questionnaires where returned, resulting in a response rate of
52%.
Microsoft Excel was used to analyse the data gathered from the questionnaires. The analysis
of quantitative data heavily relies on the researcher’s ability to calculate and interpret the data in the
correct way. Data was coded in an excel spreadsheet. After the coding, data were presented in graphs
and tables to make it easier to interpret and understand. The features of the respondents are as follows;

Table 2: Features of the respondents.

No. of Percentage No. of Percent

responde s responde ages
nts nts
Job title Educational background
Managing director 2 9% Diploma 11 50%
Quantity surveyor 8 36% Matric 1 5%
Project manager 7 32% Honours 6 27%
Engineer 1 5% Others 4 18%
Other 4 18%
Work experience
Construction industry 0 – 5 years 11 50%
Building 16 73% 6 – 10 years 5 23%
construction
Road Construction 2 9% 11 – 15 years 1 5%

Consultants 2 9% 16 – 20 years 2 9%

Other 2 9% Over 21 years 3 13%

Knowledge of construction technology

Yes 22 100%
No 0 0%

6
The ASOCSA 14th Built Environment Conference IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 654 (2021) 012001 doi:10.1088/1755-1315/654/1/012001

4. DISCUSSION OF THE RESULTS

4.1 The impact of construction technology on the South African workforce

Respondents were to estimate the number of manual labours each of the construction equipment can
replace when adopted to execute the construction activities. It was found that the use of construction
technology equipment in the South African construction industry can have a negative or a positive
impact on the workforce. Firstly, the workforce can be affected in a bad why because, as seen in table
1, construction technology equipment may take the jobs of labourers and will leave the labourers
unemployed. The majority (36%) of the respondents believe that one excavator can replace 6 to 15
manual workers for excavating foundation trenches. Other respondents (19%) also stated that one
excavator could do the work of 1 to 5 people. All the respondents (100%) are of the view that one
drone can be used to monitor site work and safety issues instead of using about 5 people for the same
work. Likewise, all the respondents (100%) believe that a single drone can take pictures of the site
work within the shortest possible as compared to engaging 5 people to do the same work. The
majority (86%) also stated that a premix concrete machine could mix concrete that can be done by
about 10 people, which would be more efficient in terms of quality.
Again, 59% of the respondents said, a single paving machine can do the work of 1-5 people
whilst 27% of them are of the opinion that 6 to 10 workers can be replaced with a paving machine for
the same quantum of works. According to the respondents, a self-driven roller compactor can do the
work that 1 to 5 people can do manually. This view was shared by 95% of the respondents. Also, 91%
of the respondents are of the view that one robot machine can be used to inspect site work, which you
would need 1 to 5 people whilst 9% of them believe it can even do the work of 6 to 10 people. It is
therefore evident that if most of the respondent’s companies strive to be more productive by making
use of more construction technology equipment, it may cause employment-related problems in South
Africa in addition to the already high unemployment rate in South Africa.

Table 3: Number of labourers that can be replaced by construction technology equipment

Modern construction Number manual labour it can replace per day

technology
1-5 6 - 10 11 - 15 16 -20
Excavators for foundation 4 (19%) 8 (36%) 8 (36%) 2 (9%)
trenches
Drone for site monitoring 22 (100%)

Drone for taking pictures 22 (100%)

Premix concrete machine 10 (45%) 9 (41%) 3 (14%)
Paving machine 13 (59%) 6 (27%) 3 (14%)
Self-driven roller 21 (95%) 1 (5%)
compactor
Robot/machine for 20 (91%) 2 (9%)
inspecting works

However, on the positive side, construction technology equipment can be used by companies
to speed up the construction process in addition to labourers. This will enable workers to keep their
jobs whilst productivity is increased through the use of construction technology equipment to assist
labourers during the construction process. As stated by El-Gohary and Aziz [20], management factors
also have a big impact on productivity on a construction site. Therefore, the management of any
construction project should choose to alter their construction methods and introduce the use of
construction technology equipment to help the labourers to be more productive.

4.2 Construction technology as a replacement for manual labour

Respondents were asked about their views on the possibility of replacing manual workers with
modern construction equipment in the construction process. This question was asked to enable the

7
The ASOCSA 14th Built Environment Conference IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 654 (2021) 012001 doi:10.1088/1755-1315/654/1/012001

researcher to have an idea about the readiness of the South African country industry to adopt a full-
scale application of modern construction equipment in the construction process. All (100%) of the
respondents in the previous question agree that the usage of modern construction technology would
definitely save time because technology can do the work quicker than manual labour. After all, they
do not need to take breaks to eat or sleep, and technology can be used right through the night, whereas
manual labour cannot work for 24 hours on regular bases. In terms of quality, all the respondents also
agreed that when using construction technology, the overall quality of the finished product will also
be better than when using manual labour. Because we have a lot of strikes and unhappy labour unions
in South Africa 90% of the respondents agreed that it would be more reliable to make use of
construction technology instead of manual labour, because technology does not strike. Likewise,
100% of the respondents believe that the adoption of modern construction equipment would hugely
benefit the construction industry. Despite the huge support respondents showed in further of the
modern construction technology as per the above statistics, when asked about the possibility of full-
scale adoption of the modern construction equipment in the South African construction industry, 82%
of the respondents responded in negative.

90% 82%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
18%
20%
10%
0%
1

Yes No

Figure 2: Whether or not the South African construction industry is ready for full-scale adoption of
construction technology

As shown in figure 2, the respondents believe that it would be very difficult to replace manual labour
with construction technology, especially in South Africa, where unemployment is already a huge
problem the government is battling to deal with. However, the limited use of modern construction
technology can be used in addition to manual workers to simplify the construction process. This
findings also support that of Sherman, [17] who suggests that the use of computers to design houses,
the use of prefabricated building parts and the use of green technology to create eco-friendly buildings
are some of the technologies that can be used in the construction industry in order to assist labourers
during some of their tasks. The use of drones for site inspections and site surveys and the connected
job sites for communicating important information to the project team [23]. On the other side, 18% of
the respondents said that they think South Africa is indeed ready for full-scale adoption of
construction technology and that the construction industry can benefit from the use of construction
technology equipment.

4.3 Difference in productivity between construction technology and manual labour

In order to ascertain the productivity rate between manual labour and the modern construction
equipment, respondents were asked to express their views on this topic. Responses from the
respondents are shown in figure 3. From figure 3, the majority of the respondents (85%) said that by
making use of construction technology, the productivity of a construction project could be increased.
The main reason for this being that when using construction technology, they do not need to take
breaks or sleep, and they do not get tired, unlike the labourers.

8
The ASOCSA 14th Built Environment Conference IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 654 (2021) 012001 doi:10.1088/1755-1315/654/1/012001

100%

80%
85%
60%

40%

20%
15%
0%
Yes No

Figure 3: Productivity of construction technology compared to manual labour.

Also, respondents believe that modern construction equipment is assured of quality at the first
instance, unlike the laborers were quality issues normally come up, thereby increasing the rate of
reworks. It is, therefore, clear that modern construction technology is indeed better and more efficient
than manual labour in terms of productivity. These findings are also in line with the view of Tatum [1]
who recommended that construction firms incorporate some form of construction technology into
their arsenal so that the overall competitiveness in the construction industry, between the different
companies, can be increased and enable the construction processes to be more productive and run
more smoothly.

5. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

The results of this study indicate that the use of construction technology would be a good benefit to
the construction industry in terms of efficiency and quality. However, the full-scale adoption of the
modern construction technology might have a bad impact on the South African workforce as it may
lead to job loses to a sizeable number of people as the industry is made used by the government as the
main conduit to generate jobs to the citizens who are not left out by the other sectors. Further, the
study also showed that it will not be possible for construction technology to replace the entire
workforce as operators will still be needed in order for the construction technology equipment to be
functional. The study also shows that the productivity on a construction site can be increased
significantly by making use of construction technology equipment instead of manual labourers as this
equipment does not need to take breaks, sleep, get ill, etc.
The study, thus recommends that construction companies should invest in construction
technology equipment and incorporate some form of construction technology into their construction
process to assist their workers to enhance work efficiency and quality and to improve on the
productivity.

6. References

[1] Tatum C B 1991 Incentives for technological innovation in construction. In Chang, L.M., editor,
Preparing for construction in the 21st century – Proceedings of the Construction Conference, New
York, ASCE pp 447–52.
[2] Crampton N 2017 Construction Sector Trends & Insights | The digitalisation of the construction
industry | BizConnect. [online] Bizconnect.standardbank.co.za. Available at:
https://bizconnect.standardbank.co.za/sector news/construction/the-digitalisation-of-the-construction-
industry.aspx [Accessed 20 Mar. 2019].
[3] Cebull K 2015 4 Reasons Construction Industry Technology is Still Behind the Curve. [online].
Available from:< http://www.entechus.com/blog/4-reasons construction-industry-technology-is-
still-behind-the-curve> [Accessed 18 Mar. 2019].
[4] Windapo A O 2016 Skilled labour supply in the South African construction industry: The nexus
between certification, quality of work output and shortages, SA Journal of Human Resource
Management/SA Tydskrif vir Menslikehulpbronbestuur 14(1) pp 1–8.

9
The ASOCSA 14th Built Environment Conference IOP Publishing
IOP Conf. Series: Earth and Environmental Science 654 (2021) 012001 doi:10.1088/1755-1315/654/1/012001

[5] Gann D M 2000 Building Innovation: Complex Constructs in a Changing World. Thomas Telford
Publications, London.
[6] Winch G 1998 Zephyrs of creative destruction: understanding the management of innovation in
construction Building Research and Information 26(4) pp 268–79.
[7] Alaghbari W, Al-Sakkaf A A and Sultan B 2019 Factors affecting construction labour productivity in
Yemen International Journal of Construction Management. Taylor & Francis, 19(1) pp 79–91.
doi:10.1080/15623599.2017.1382091.
[8] Chun S H, Hwang H J and Byun Y H 2015 Green Supply Chain Management in the Construction
Industry: Case of Korean Construction Companies. 5th World Conference on Learning, Teaching and
Educational Leadership. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 186 pp 507 – 512
[9] Pillay P and Mafini C 2017 Supply chain bottlenecks in the South African construction industry:
Qualitative insights Journal of Transport and Supply Chain Management 11(0) pp 1–12. doi:
10.4102/jtscm.v11i0.307
[10] Construction Industry Development Board 2015 Labour and Work Conditions in the South African
Construction Industry Status and Recommendations p 44.
[11] Construction Industry Development Board 2016 Construction monitor: Supply and demand viewed 8
May 2019, from www.cidb.org.za/publications/.../ Construction%20Monitor%20-
%20April%202016.pdf
[12] Statistics South Africa 2014 Quarterly employment statistics, viewed 8 May 2019, from
http://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/P0277/P0277June2014.pdf
[13] Report buyer 2019 Construction in South Africa - Key Trends and Opportunities to 2023. [online]
Available at: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5380535/construction-in-south-africa key-
trends-and-opportunities-to-2023.html [Accessed 8 May 2019].
[14] Rust F C, Botha C, Van Wyk L, Steyn W, Du Plessis C and Landman K 2013 South African
construction industry technology foresight study: Summary report of desktop study, CSIR
Technical Report, CSIR, Pretoria
[15] Windapo A O and Cattell K 2013 The South African construction industry: Perceptions of key
challenges facing its performance, development and growth’, Journal of Construction in Developing
Countries, 18(2) pp 65–79.
[16] Meyer D F 2014 Job Creation, a Mission Impossible? The South African Case Mediterranean Journal of
Social Sciences 5(16) pp 65–77. doi:10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n16p65.
[17] Sherman F 2019 Careertrend.com. Available at:https://careertrend.com/facts-7524967-meaning-
construction-technology.html [Accessed 24 Apr. 2019].
[18] Skibniewski M J 2007 Optimal buildings through automation technology: toward systems unification
for secure, intelligent, green, and immune buildings, in: E.K. Zavadskas A. Kaklauskas, M.J.
Skibniewski (Eds.), The 25th International Symposium on Automation in Construction Technika,
Vilnius, pp 1–4 ISARC-2008. Selected papers
[19] Zavadskas E K 2010 Automation and robotics in construction: International research and
achievements’, Automation in Construction. Elsevier B V, 19(3) pp 286–290. doi:
10.1016/j.autcon.2009.12.011.
[20] El-Gohary K M and Aziz R F 2013 Factors Influencing Construction Labor Productivity in Egypt,
Journal of Management in Engineering, 30(1) pp 1–9. doi: 10.1061/(asce)me.1943-5479.0000168.
[21] Pandey K N 2016 Research methodology’, Studies in Systems, Decision and Control, 60 pp 111–127. doi:
10.1007/978-81-322-2785-4_4.

[22] Explorable 2019 Non-Probability Sampling. Available at:https://explorable.com/non-probability-

sampling [Accessed 18 May 2019].
[23] Mills F 2019 9 Construction Tech Trends to Watch in 2019. [online] Theb1m.com. Available at:
https://www.theb1m.com/video/9-construction-tech-trends-to watch-in-2019 [Accessed 25 Feb. 2019].

10