Perceived Usefulness Drives AI Adoption in Construction Across Cultures

Why It Matters

Understanding the core motivators for technology adoption is crucial for successful product development and market penetration. This insight highlights that focusing on demonstrating tangible benefits and efficiencies of AI tools can resonate with a broad international audience within the construction sector.

Key Finding

Across both countries, the belief that AI tools are beneficial is key to their acceptance. However, how personal confidence and peer influence affect this acceptance varies culturally, with South Korean workers linking competence more to ease of use, while UK workers link it to both ease of use and overall usefulness.

Key Findings

• Perceived usefulness positively impacts technological satisfaction and usage intention for AI technologies in both South Korea and the UK.
• Personal competence and social influence show significant cross-cultural differences in their impact on AI adoption.
• In South Korea, personal competence positively influences perceived ease of use.
• In the UK, personal competence positively influences perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use.

Research Evidence

Aim: To investigate the factors influencing the adoption intention of AI-based technologies among construction industry workers in South Korea and the United Kingdom, considering cross-cultural differences.

Method: Quantitative research using structural equation modeling (SEM) based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM).

Procedure: Survey data was collected from construction industry workers in South Korea and the UK regarding their perceptions of AI technologies, including perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, personal competence, and social influence. These factors were then analyzed using SEM to determine their impact on technology satisfaction and usage intention.

Sample Size: The abstract does not specify the exact sample size, but it involved workers from construction-related companies in South Korea and the UK.

Context: Construction industry, technology adoption, artificial intelligence, cross-cultural comparison.

Design Principle

Technology adoption is significantly influenced by perceived benefits, with cultural factors modulating the pathways through which user confidence and social dynamics impact acceptance.

How to Apply

When developing or marketing AI-driven tools for the construction sector, emphasize case studies and data that clearly illustrate improved productivity, cost savings, or enhanced safety. Tailor communication about user training and support to address potential cultural differences in how individuals perceive their own technical capabilities and the influence of their colleagues.

Limitations

The study focuses on only two countries (South Korea and the UK), which may not represent the full spectrum of cultural influences on AI adoption globally. The specific AI technologies considered are not detailed.

Student Guide (IB Design Technology)

Simple Explanation: People are more likely to use new AI tools at work if they think those tools will actually help them do their jobs better. This is true for construction workers in both South Korea and the UK. However, how much people trust their own skills and what their friends or colleagues think about the AI can affect their decision differently depending on the country.

Why This Matters: Understanding user adoption is critical for any design project that introduces new technology. This research shows that even for advanced technologies like AI, fundamental factors like perceived usefulness are universal, but cultural context matters for other influences.

Critical Thinking: Given that perceived usefulness is a universal driver, how can designers ensure that the 'usefulness' of their AI solutions is clearly and effectively communicated to diverse user groups, especially when cultural interpretations of 'benefit' might differ?

IA-Ready Paragraph: Research indicates that the perceived usefulness of AI technologies is a significant factor influencing adoption intentions within the construction industry, consistently observed across different national contexts such as South Korea and the United Kingdom. While perceived usefulness acts as a universal driver, the influence of personal competence and social factors on technology acceptance can vary culturally, suggesting that design and marketing strategies should highlight tangible benefits while adapting to local user perceptions and social dynamics.

Project Tips

• When researching new technologies, consider how their perceived benefits might differ across user groups or cultures.
• If your design project involves technology adoption, think about how to communicate its usefulness effectively to potential users.

How to Use in IA

• Use this research to justify why focusing on perceived usefulness is a key strategy when designing and testing a new technology for a specific market.
• Cite this study when discussing how cultural factors might influence the success of a new product or system.

Examiner Tips

• Demonstrate an understanding that technology adoption is not solely based on features but also on user perception and contextual factors.
• When evaluating a design proposal, consider if the perceived benefits have been clearly articulated and validated.

Independent Variable: ["Perceived Usefulness","Perceived Ease of Use","Personal Competence","Social Influence"]

Dependent Variable: ["Technological Satisfaction","Usage Intention"]

Controlled Variables: ["Industry (Construction)","Technology Type (AI-based)","National Culture (South Korea vs. UK)"]

Strengths

• Employs a robust quantitative methodology (SEM) to analyze complex relationships.
• Provides a valuable cross-cultural perspective on technology adoption within a specific industry.

Critical Questions

• To what extent do the specific AI technologies studied represent the broader landscape of AI in construction?
• How might other cultural dimensions (e.g., individualism vs. collectivism, power distance) further explain the observed differences in personal competence and social influence?

Extended Essay Application

• An Extended Essay could explore the adoption of a specific AI tool in construction by surveying professionals in multiple countries, comparing findings against this study's framework.
• Investigate how the design of user interfaces for AI tools can be adapted to enhance perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness based on cultural factors identified in this research.

Source

Artificial Intelligence (AI)-Based Technology Adoption in the Construction Industry: A Cross National Perspective Using the Technology Acceptance Model · Buildings · 2023 · 10.3390/buildings13102518