A Maturity model for digitalisation of small and medium enterprise contractors in the Sri Lankan construction industry: a focus on client and technology dimensions

Abstract

Small and Medium-Scale Enterprises (SMEs) tremendously contribute to Sri Lanka's economy, providing employment opportunities and contributing to the total Gross Domestic Product of the country. However, many SMEs underperform due to limited digital technology use. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated digital adoption, highlighting the potential for significant competitive advantages through digital transformation. This research aimed to identify key digitalisation aspects relevant to small and medium-scale construction firms and establish a mechanism for assessing the maturity of digitalisation by proposing a digitalisation maturity model tailored to SMEs operating within the Sri Lankan construction industry. The maturity model was derived based on the findings from a comprehensive literature review and a focus group discussion that was composed of ten construction professionals. The primary dimensions of the model include Client, Technology, Operations, Organisation and Culture. However, this manuscript presents a detailed study carried out for Client and Technology dimensions only. Within these two dimensions, nine sub-dimensions and 41 digital criteria were identified, which can be employed for the assessment of digital maturity within organisations.