How Policy Diffusion Influences Regional BIM Innovation: An Empirical Study in China
Publication: Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 149, Issue 8
Abstract
The digital revolution has swept the world, but the construction industry, the backbone of the global economy, has lagged. Government policy is expected to promote the development of digital technologies centered around building information modeling (BIM) in the construction industry. However, how digital technology–related policies diffuse within a country and influence innovation regionally remains unknown. Using 2011–2019 panel data from 31 provinces in mainland China, we found that BIM policy diffuses not only vertically among national and regional governments, but also horizontally among neighboring regional governments, both of which accelerate the adoption of BIM policy in various regions across the country. We also found that there is a causal relationship between regional BIM policies and related BIM innovation. Further, the positive influence of policies on innovation is more significant in regions with low economic development and high openness levels. This study not only contributes to understanding the impact of policy diffusion on BIM innovation, but also offers insights into the research on policies and innovation of digital technology in the construction industry from a macro perspective. The empirical evidence provides a practical reference for policymakers to accelerate the adoption of digital technology policy within the country and promote technological innovation.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or codes that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
This material is based in part upon work supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No. 72001160 and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities under Grant No. 22120200364. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the funding agencies.
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Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Volume 149 • Issue 8 • August 2023
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© 2023 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: Apr 8, 2022
Accepted: Mar 3, 2023
Published online: Jun 5, 2023
Published in print: Aug 1, 2023
Discussion open until: Nov 5, 2023
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