Search Results (146)

Digital transformation is a must to remain competitive in today’s advanced technological environment. This study examines how digitalization influences the performance of SMEs in Albania, focusing on digital adoption, skills, training, and institutional support. Using survey data from SMEs in Tirana, based on the Technology–Organization–Environment (TOE) framework and Dynamic Capability Theory, the study aims to investigate the extent of digital service adoption by these organizations. The findings show a positive association between the degree of digital adoption by SMEs and various performance indicators. However, SMEs mainly adopt digital tools and processes without undertaking a complete digital transformation. Multiple barriers prevent SMEs from adopting digital technologies. Despite the digital training offered to SME employees, there is no correlation between the training and the adoption of these digital technologies. The study makes various contributions to the literature on the digital transformation of SMEs and has implications for policy making in the context of the transition economies. Full article

The integration of digital technologies is increasingly recognized as a critical enabler of lean practices in prefabricated construction projects. However, a systematic understanding of the underlying factors that drive this lean–digital transformation remains limited. To address the gap, this study identified 18 factors through an in-depth review of 30 papers and a follow-up questionnaire survey. The factors are divided into five dimensions, i.e., organizational, social, technological, economic and environmental, according to an extended framework of the Socio-Technical Systems (STS) and Technology–Organization–Environment (TOE). These 18 factors were then analyzed via a back propagation (BP) neural network model. The empirical data were collected from 148 practitioners across 11 regions in China where PC industrialization, digital technology adoption, and lean-related practices are relatively mature. These regions were selected because digitalization-driven lean practices are more observable in such contexts, allowing the BP model to capture the comprehensive contribution of key factors more effectively. The findings reveal that the effective implementation of the smart lean practices via digitalization is primarily driven by a systematic process, where greater attention should be directed toward simulation-based process optimization, robust information management, integrated design and construction, lean management systems, and the workers’ digital skills. Although the empirical evidence is derived from relatively mature PC and digital construction markets in China, the identified factors provide reference insights for broader PC projects including less mature regions to make effective measures to improve lean implementation. This study contributes to the existing knowledge body of lean in PC by extending the theories of STS and TOE to advance the understanding of digital drivers. Additionally, the results serve as a reference for stakeholders by informing strategic priorities such as resource allocation for workforce development, advancing the realization of smart lean prefabricated construction. Full article

Construction sectors in developing countries continue to experience disproportionately high fatality rates, largely due to reactive safety practices and the limited adoption of digital safety technologies. While Building Information Modeling (BIM) and the Internet of Things (IoT) offer significant potential for proactive safety management, their integrated application remains underexplored in resource-constrained contexts. This study examines stakeholder readiness to adopt IoT-enhanced BIM-based safety monitoring systems in large-scale infrastructure projects in Pakistan, including China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) initiatives and the Barakahu Bypass project. An integrated Technology Acceptance Model–Technology–Organization–Environment (TAM–TOE) readiness framework is employed, wherein TAM-derived cognitive-motivational factors (Technology Awareness and Perceived Benefits) and TOE-derived contextual factors (Organizational Readiness and Perceived Barriers) are examined as joint predictors of Behavioral Intention (BI). Data were collected from 107 purposively sampled construction professionals using a structured questionnaire. The results indicate high attitudinal readiness (BI mean = 4.7; perceived benefits mean = 4.6) alongside moderate organizational readiness (mean = 3.4). Regression analysis reveals that perceived benefits (β = 0.42, p < 0.001) and technology awareness (β = 0.29, p = 0.003) are the strongest positive predictors of adoption intention. In contrast, perceived barriers exert a significant negative effect (β = −0.22, p = 0.022). The model explains 61.2% of the variance in behavioral intention. This study advances the literature by providing empirical evidence on stakeholder readiness for BIM–IoT safety adoption within construction management processes, estimated through a multiple regression model. It offers practical implications for policymakers and industry stakeholders seeking to accelerate data-driven decision-making and digital safety transformation in developing economies. Full article

High-tech manufacturing is a technology- and knowledge-intensive strategic industry. Its total factor productivity (TFP) directly impacts national competitiveness and economic quality. In China, despite rapid growth, TFP performance varies across sub-sectors and firms. In this study, TFP was adopted as the central outcome variable to capture the comprehensive production and technological efficiency of high-tech manufacturing firms. The Technology–Organization–Environment (TOE) framework was integrated with Dynamic Qualitative Comparative Analysis (Dynamic QCA) to examine the causal complexity, dynamic evolution, and industrial heterogeneity of TFP, using a sample of Chinese A-share-listed companies from 2015 to 2024. The results showed that high TFP depends on configurations rather than on a single factor. Three configurational paths were identified, including “technology–innovation–scale synergy,” “technology–scale dual core,” and “technology-led productivity optimization.” All paths require a strong technological foundation. Conversely, a lack of technology leads to low total factor productivity across all sectors. Moreover, the effectiveness of these pathways evolves over time. The dual-core pathway serves as a stable baseline model. The synergy pathway is reinforced in fast-iteration sectors. Due to weak innovation support, the productivity optimization pathway declined after 2019. Third, different sectors show distinct patterns. Fast-iteration sectors use synergy to handle rapid technical changes. Slow-iteration sectors use the dual-core model to share R&D risks. Productivity-optimized sectors stagnate because they focus on automation instead of innovation. This work reveals deep patterns in TFP growth and provides theoretical support and practical insight for strategic choices of firms, industry resource allocation, and industrial policy optimization. Full article

Higher education institutions (HEIs) are rapidly developing to meet Industry 5.0 demands, highlighting human–machine collaboration, sustainability, and institutional resilience. Existing literature primarily explores artificial intelligence (AI), learning analytics (LA), and sustainability as discrete components within HEI. Limited studies examine how these disciplines intersect to impact institutional developments, especially from the perspective of strategic decision-making. Hence, this research explores how HEI leaders perceive the integration of artificial intelligence, learning analytics, and sustainability within strategic planning. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 29 leaders from diverse HEIs using the Technology–Organization–Environment (TOE) and the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) theory frameworks. Thematic analysis demonstrated that AI and LA improve efficiency and decision-making but face ethical and cultural obstacles, while sustainability is often fragmented despite its reputational value. The results highlight a lack of holistic integration across domains. This research suggests theoretical and practical insights for aligning innovation and sustainable principles to build agile, ethically grounded, and future-ready universities. Full article

This study proposes an integrative model that combines technological factors and top management support to examine their impact on successful ERP implementation and its direct effect on the efficiency, effectiveness, and flexibility of business processes in the context of firms operating in Serbia. Employing the Technology–Organization–Environment (TOE) framework, this research analyzes data collected from 123 managers using a structured questionnaire and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings reveal that technological complexity positively affects ERP implementation success, contrary to common assumptions that complexity is a barrier. Technological compatibility and readiness show no direct significant effects but demonstrate conditional influences when moderated by top management support. Top management involvement significantly moderates the relationship between technological factors and ERP success, with balanced managerial engagement being critical to avoid potential negative impacts of over-control in complex projects. Moreover, ERP implementation significantly enhances operational efficiency, effectiveness, and flexibility. This study concludes that ERP success depends on the interplay between technological attributes and well-balanced leadership support, emphasizing the need for holistic management of technology, people, and processes. These insights contribute to theoretical understanding and practical guidance for organizations aiming to optimize ERP outcomes and operational performance. Full article

The insurance industry is under increasing pressure to undergo digital transformation as global markets, customer demands, and regulatory requirements evolve. Despite this growing importance, the sector continues to face persistent obstacles that hinder progress. This study investigates the factors influencing the successful implementation of digitalization in South Africa’s insurance industry, focusing on technological, organizational, and environmental factors derived from the Technology–Organization–Environment (TOE) framework and Dynamic Capabilities Theory. Key challenges identified include legacy systems, inadequate IT infrastructure, limited software capabilities, high maintenance costs, resistance to change, poor communication, insufficient employee readiness, and a lack of coherent digital strategies. Using the Delphi method, data were collected from 16 experts, comprising senior executives from leading South African insurance companies and academics specializing in business management and digital transformation. Through two iterative rounds, the experts evaluated and achieved consensus on the critical barriers affecting digitalization within the sector. The results form the basis for a conceptual framework that links the TOE dimensions with dynamic capabilities, providing actionable guidance for overcoming organizational and technological barriers. The findings highlight the urgent need for innovative strategies that emphasize organizational readiness, leadership, change management, and regulatory alignment. A conceptual framework that integrates the technology–organization–environment (TOE) framework and Dynamic Capabilities Theory is proposed, offering a structured response to overcome these barriers. By linking theoretical perspectives with practical insights, this study enriches the understanding of digital transformation in the insurance sector and provides actionable guidance for policymakers and practitioners seeking to enhance competitiveness, resilience, and customer-centric innovation. Full article

Smart retail adoption (SRA) is widely seen as a way to improve operations. But how it affects business performance (BP) is still unclear. This study builds a framework using information theory and the Technology–Organization–Environment (TOE) framework. We use data from 220 Chinese retail firms (2012–2023). Our analysis shows that SRA significantly improves BP. It does so by first reducing incomplete information (measured by analyst forecast dispersion, AFD) and then lowering uncertainty (UNC). These two factors work in sequence. Technological conditions (TECH), organizational conditions (ORG), and environmental conditions (ENV) all strengthen this effect. SRA also has strong long-term benefits. The effect is greater in non-state-owned firms, large firms, firms in central China, and those that rely mainly on offline channels. This study explains how SRA boosts BP and offers practical insights for retail transformation. Full article

The strain on the global food sector to reconcile environmental sustainability with operational efficiency has been intensifying. In a growing economy, this study investigates the revolutionary potential of integrated digital ecosystems that include blockchain, big data analytics, and IoT-enabled real-time monitoring on the performance of Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM). The research, that relies on the Technology–Organization–Environment (TOE) framework, utilizes a rigorous mixed-methods approach which utilizes Fuzzy-Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) on data from food-processing firms in Pakistan. Green innovation is an important moderating catalyst, and SEM results confirm that digital integration significantly enhances waste reduction and energy efficiency, explaining 62% of performance variance. A further configurational analysis indicates causal equifinality and reveals 3 distinct paths to superior sustainability, from “Innovation-Driven Institutionalization” to “Government-Supported Scaling.” It demonstrates that various combinations of external support and internal readiness may ultimately contribute to success. The findings are supported by post-implementation evaluations, which show a 29% decrease in energy consumption and a 55% reduction in cold-chain losses. These findings offer novel insights for practitioners and policymakers, validating that environmental stewardship and commercial profitability are mutually reinforcing objectives in the digital age. Full article

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming logistics and supply chain management by enhancing operational efficiency, predictive analytics, and decision-making capabilities; however, the determinants of AI adoption in emerging logistics ecosystems remain insufficiently understood. This study develops and empirically examines an integrated framework combining technology-organization-environment (TOE), task-technology fit (TTF), and unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) to explain AI adoption in Thailand. Using survey data from 500 logistics and supply chain professionals, covariance-based structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to validate the measurement model and test the proposed relationships. The results show that technological, organizational, and environmental factors significantly influence AI adoption at the organizational level, while task and technology characteristics enhance task-technology fit at the operational level. At the behavioral level, performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and social influence positively influence behavioral intention, which in turn drives AI adoption, with facilitating conditions also exerting a direct effect. These findings indicate that AI adoption is shaped by a cross-level mechanism involving structural conditions, operational alignment, and individual acceptance, offering theoretical and practical insights for advancing digital transformation in logistics contexts. Full article

BIM is a key technology for the digital transformation and sustainable development of the construction industry through enhanced productivity, transparency, and fostered innovation. Although scholars have investigated the constructs driving BIM adoption intention, a comprehensive framework has seldom been adopted, and thus some vital factors have been overlooked, such as collaboration partner pressure. Meanwhile, the targeted group is usually practitioners of a certain type of company while a construction project requires the participation of multiple types of companies. To address these research gaps, the aim of this study is to explore the factors driving various stakeholders’ intention to adopt BIM by applying the TOE framework, considering nine factors across three dimensions. A total of 512 valid responses from owners, consulting firms, design firms, construction companies, suppliers, engineering surveying firms, and universities or research institutes were collected and analyzed through the structural equation modeling (SEM) method. The SEM results indicated that six factors were positively related to the intention to employ BIM, among which management commitment (β = 0.182, p < 0.001) and perceived ease of use (β = 0.180, p < 0.001) exhibited the strongest effects. However, three factors (perceived usefulness, supporting technical facilities, and mimetic pressure) exerted no significant influence. The findings of this study may provide a valuable reference for promoting the application of BIM technology in the construction industry. Full article

This study examines the governance of digitalization in municipal administration, with a focus on city planning services, specifically spatial planning, building permits, and geodata management, in a large Swedish municipality. Digitalization is understood here not as the adoption of isolated technologies, but as organizational and process-oriented transformation enabled by digital systems such as GIS platforms, case management systems, and digital planning information. While national policy frameworks set ambitious digitalization goals, previous research shows that local authorities often face significant obstacles, including fragmented processes, technical limitations, and complex governance structures. These challenges create a persistent gap between strategic ambitions and daily work practices. This study employs a qualitative case study approach drawing on semi-structured interviews with employees in technical, operational, and strategic roles, as well as an analysis of policy documents and internal process descriptions. Using a socio-technical perspective, the analysis applies the Technology–Organization–Environment (TOE) framework to examine how digital systems, organizational structures, and external institutional demands interact in practice. The findings highlight substantial challenges related to system integration, data quality, uneven digital competencies, and the ongoing disconnect between strategic goals and operational realities. The study emphasizes the need for clearer governance structures, stronger cross-functional collaboration, and work practices that bridge technical and organizational dimensions. Building on the empirical analysis, the study proposes a conceptual framework that extends the TOE framework by identifying three interrelated structural mechanisms: technological lock-in, organizational inertia, and institutional uncertainty. This framework contributes theoretically by deepening the understanding of socio-technical digitalization dynamics in local government. Practically, it provides municipalities with an analytical tool to assess and reflect on their digitalization conditions. Full article

By expanding the Technology–Organization–Environment (TOE) framework to match the Complex Adaptive System (CAS) characteristics of high-speed rail (HSR) enterprises, this study adopts fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) and Necessary Condition Analysis (NCA) to investigate the driving mechanisms and configuration paths of high-quality development (HQD). Using data from 137 listed Chinese HSR concept companies during 2018–2023, the results reveal that HSR enterprises operate as CAS, where HQD emerges from the synergistic interaction of technology, organization, and environment subsystems rather than isolated factor contributions. Four equivalent configuration paths to HQD are identified, categorized into three models: Technology-Dominant, Dual-Driven Technology + Environment, and Multi-Collaborative Technology + Organization + Environment. Policy support is a necessary condition for system evolution, digital intelligence empowerment serves as the core “order parameter” driving subsystem adaptation, and high-quality human resources act as the key coordinating element for inter-subsystem coupling. The degree of subsystem synergy has a significant positive correlation with HQD levels. This study enriches the application of CAS theory in the transportation equipment manufacturing industry, expands the TOE framework’s analytical boundary from linear dimension division to systematic synergy, and provides theoretical insights for understanding the nonlinear, emergent mechanisms of HSR enterprise HQD. It also offers practical references for governments to optimize policy supply and for enterprises to enhance adaptive capacity. Full article

Amid global climate change, China’s energy-intensive industries face substantial challenges in achieving low-carbon transformation. While existing studies largely focus on individual determinants of emission reduction, insufficient attention has been paid to the dynamic interactions among multiple dimensions. To complement this perspective, this study integrates co-evolution theory with the technology–organization–environment (TOE) framework, applying dynamic fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to panel data from 30 Chinese provinces between 2005 and 2022. The results indicate that low carbon intensity arises from the synergistic interaction of factors rather than isolated elements, whereas high intensity is driven by systemic mismatches rather than the mere absence of low-carbon conditions. This research identifies five enabling configurations, led by the digital-green dual drive, alongside three inhibiting pathways, most notably the regulation-volatility trap. Evolutionary trajectories exhibit significant regional variation: the eastern region leverages digital-market mechanisms through innovation strategies, whereas the central region shifted toward government-led upgrading following the 2016 supply-side structural reform. The western region relies on top-down administrative governance to compensate for limited digital capabilities. Meanwhile, the northeast region remains trapped in a composite lock-in due to the structural misalignment between legacy industrial scale and the integration of digital and green innovations. These findings provide a systems-oriented basis for differentiated policymaking in emerging economies. Full article

Saudi Arabia’s construction industry is greatly impacted by rising costs and delays, causing project overruns and high financial pressures. In construction, blockchain technology is a decentralized and secure system that promotes transparency, trustworthiness and effective management of project data and transactions. This research is based on the Technology–Organization–Environment (TOE) framework, which develops and tests a conceptual model to investigate how supply-chain management, smart contracts, transparency and traceability, regulatory compliance and building information modeling (BIM) integration influence blockchain technology adoption, with organizational culture as a moderator. Data from 291 professionals in large Saudi contracting firms were analyzed employing a quantitative, cross-sectional design using SmartPLS. Results confirm all hypothesized factors significantly drive blockchain technology adoption. Organizational culture, acting as a key amplifier, positively moderates all relationships. The model explains 71.1% of the variability in blockchain technology adoption. In order to overcome project challenges and meet Vision 2030’s goals, the results present a validated roadmap for Saudi’s construction sector. The findings show that technical investments and promoting a culture of innovation, collaboration across departments and strong leadership are important for adoption blockchain technology. Full article