Adoption of virtual reality within construction processes: a factor analysis approach

Globalization has allowed construction companies to become part of the global economy. However, this economic survival is dependent on their ability to attain the levels of technology development, which can make them globally competitive. The UK Construction sector is a highly knowledge intensive sector where tackling critical technology adoption issues are central to their survival. One such issue is of understanding factors that affect the adoption of Virtual Reality within top UK construction firms in the public sector. Previous literature suggests that various factors play a role in the adoption of VR systems; however, there is little empirical research about the factors affecting the adoption of this technology in the construction sector. This research paper investigates forms of barriers that affect adoption of VR technology in top UK construction firms in the public sector. A three phase Factor Analysis Approach that incorporates discriminant and empirical analysis reveals that factors such as Champion within a Company, Top Management Support, Internal Needs, Degree of Business Competition, Coordination of Organizational Resources and Participation of Users would affect the adoption of visualization technology.