Abstract
A growing body of evidence suggests the adoption of alternative and new technologies in construction. This is because the industry is receiving considerable critical attention due to its sustainability limitations. Offsite Construction (OSC) has emerged as an effective method to address the economic, social, and environmental issues of traditional construction methods. In Jordan, OSC is needed to enhance efficiency, minimise waste, and meet the demand for affordable housing. However, no empirical research has explored the barriers to OSC adoption in Jordan. Furthermore, the appropriate strategies and skills required for effective OSC adoption in Jordan have yet to be established.Therefore, this study seeks to establish the sustainability barriers to OSC adoption in Jordan and to develop a comprehensive OSC maturity model focused on strategies and skills for Jordanian construction organisations. To achieve this, a sequential mixed-method approach was employed, combining quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques. A questionnaire was used to gather quantitative data on the barriers to OSC adoption, followed by semi-structured interviews to refine the OSC maturity model. Finally, validation interviews were conducted to confirm the reliability of the OSC maturity model. The relative importance index revealed that the lack of adequate labour, long lead times and time certainty issues, and initial/capital cost and cash flow issues are the most important barriers to OSC adoption in Jordan. Environmental barriers, including the lack of waste management strategies and environmental awareness, are the least important barriers to OSC adoption in Jordan. The results of the exploratory factor analysis indicated that addressing the lack of knowledge and experience and the lack of regulations, standards, and incentives is a precondition for OSC adoption. Furthermore, the lack of adequate labour is identified as an economic barrier rather than a social one, due to its direct impact on productivity and cost. The sixteen identified barriers, grouped into economic, social, and environmental barriers, were included in a three-level OSC maturity model, which was refined and validated through two rounds of semi-structured interviews.
The proposed OSC maturity model will provide numerous practical implications that Jordanian construction organisations can leverage, offering a structured ii approach to addressing barriers to OSC adoption through essential strategies and skills. By employing this model, organisations can assess their OSC processes, pinpoint areas of improvement, and foster organisational learning. Consequently, the model could optimise the application of OSC in Jordan, accelerating effective implementation and identifying weak points that require improvement.
| Date of Award | Jun 2025 |
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| Original language | English |
| Awarding Institution |
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| Supervisor | Mahmood Alam (Supervisor), Mohammed Arif (Supervisor) & Imran Rafiq (Supervisor) |