Understanding Behavioral Logic of Information and Communication Technology Adoption in Small- and Medium-Sized Construction Enterprises: Empirical Study from China

Abstract

Although an investigation of factors influencing information communication technology (ICT) implementation in small- and medium-sized construction enterprises (SMCEs) has garnered significant attention, limited efforts have been devoted to exploring SMCEs’ ICT adoption process from the perspective of behavior. Following the logic of Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior (TPB) and incorporating organizational learning culture (OLC), this study reveals the formation mechanisms underlying SMCEs’ ICT adoption behavior. The behavioral model was empirically tested through a hierarchical regression analysis of 177 questionnaires completed by top managers of SMCEs in China. The results indicated that mimetic pressure (MP), strategic value judgment (SVJ), and behavioral control capability (BCC) can drive adoption behavior directly. Although normative pressure (NP) and efficiency value judgment (EVJ) do not exert direct effects on adoption behavior, their indirect effects on adoption behavior are fully mediated by adoption intention. The impact of coercive pressure (CP) on adoption intention and adoption behavior was not supported. In addition, OLC was found to be a positive moderator for the relationship between adoption intention and adoption behavior. This study extends the explanatory context of TPB and provides the feasibility for the industry to guide SMCEs to adopt ICT from multiple paths of intention and behavior.