IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bcp/journl/v9y2025issue-6p4672-4681.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Enhancing Digital Leadership for Managers in the Construction Industry

Author

Listed:
  • Mohamad Zahierruden Ismail

    (Department of Quantity Surveying, Faculty of Built Environment, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Malaysia)

  • Ahmad Faiz Azizi Ahmad Fauzi

    (Department of Quantity Surveying, Faculty of Built Environment, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Malaysia)

  • Mohd Ruzaini Che Zahari

    (Landscape Architecture Department, Faculty of Built Environment & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai, Johor, Malaysia)

Abstract

The digital transformation driven by the Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR 4.0) has significantly altered the operational landscape of the construction industry. The integration of technologies such as Building Information Modelling (BIM), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Internet of Things (IoT) has necessitated the emergence of a new leadership paradigm—digital leadership. However, the industry’s entrenched reliance on traditional methods, fragmented workflows, and low digital literacy have hindered the full-scale adoption of these advancements. Considering these challenges, this study aims to identify effective strategies for enhancing digital leadership skills among construction project managers. A quantitative research design was employed, with data collected via structured questionnaire survey distributed to 78 project managers across contractor and consultant organisations in Malaysia. Data were analysed through both descriptive statistics (mean & standard deviations) and inferential analysis (Kruskal–Wallis H test) to identify significant differences across respondent groups. The findings revealed five key strategic domains for enhancing digital leadership: (1) comprehensive training and development programmes, (2) implementation of digital tools and software, (3) strengthening networks and collaboration, (4) establishing policies and cybersecurity protocols, and (5) promoting exploitation and application of digital innovations. These strategies were widely acknowledged across respondents, indicating a shared understanding of digital leadership development needs. The study concludes that fostering digital leadership requires more than technical upskilling, it demands a cultural shift supported by structured initiatives and visionary leadership. As a way forward, construction organisations should institutionalise leadership development frameworks, encourage continuous digital literacy programmes, and align leadership strategies with national digitalisation goals. This will better equip project managers to lead in an increasingly digitised construction environment.

Suggested Citation

  • Mohamad Zahierruden Ismail & Ahmad Faiz Azizi Ahmad Fauzi & Mohd Ruzaini Che Zahari, 2025. "Enhancing Digital Leadership for Managers in the Construction Industry," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 9(6), pages 4672-4681, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bcp:journl:v:9:y:2025:issue-6:p:4672-4681
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.rsisinternational.org/journals/ijriss/Digital-Library/volume-9-issue-6/4672-4681.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://rsisinternational.org/journals/ijriss/articles/enhancing-digital-leadership-for-managers-in-the-construction-industry/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sambo Lyson Zulu & Farzad Khosrowshahi, 2021. "A taxonomy of digital leadership in the construction industry," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(7), pages 565-578, July.
    2. Rui Mu & Huanming Wang, 2022. "A systematic literature review of open innovation in the public sector: comparing barriers and governance strategies of digital and non-digital open innovation," Public Management Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(4), pages 489-511, April.
    3. Turgut Karakose & Ibrahim Kocabas & Ramazan Yirci & Stamatios Papadakis & Tuncay Yavuz Ozdemir & Murat Demirkol, 2022. "The Development and Evolution of Digital Leadership: A Bibliometric Mapping Approach-Based Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-26, December.
    4. Vinit Parida & Joakim Wincent, 2019. "Why and how to compete through sustainability: a review and outline of trends influencing firm and network-level transformation," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 15(1), pages 1-19, March.
    5. Bahareh Nikmehr & M. Reza Hosseini & Igor Martek & Edmundas Kazimieras Zavadskas & Jurgita Antucheviciene, 2021. "Digitalization as a Strategic Means of Achieving Sustainable Efficiencies in Construction Management: A Critical Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-12, April.
    6. Porfírio, José António & Carrilho, Tiago & Felício, José Augusto & Jardim, Jacinto, 2021. "Leadership characteristics and digital transformation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 610-619.
    7. Andreas Wijaya, 2024. "Determining the Antecedents of Digital Leadership: The Nexus of Skill, Role, and Style," International Journal of Economics & Business Administration (IJEBA), International Journal of Economics & Business Administration (IJEBA), vol. 0(2), pages 161-175.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Sambo Lyson Zulu & Ali M. Saad, 2023. "A Sensemaking Perspective of Digitalisation in Construction Organisations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-18, January.
    2. Lee, Min-Jae & Kim, Yanghee & Roh, Taewoo, 2024. "Exploring the role of digital servitization for green innovation: Absorptive capacity, transformative capacity, and environmental strategy," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 207(C).
    3. Broccardo, Laura & Truant, Elisa & Dana, Léo-Paul, 2023. "The interlink between digitalization, sustainability, and performance: An Italian context," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    4. Yu Zeng & Quan Zhang & Qi Zhao & Huang Huang, 2023. "Doing more among institutional boundaries: Platform‐enabled government in China," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 40(3), pages 458-478, May.
    5. Hui Li & Xingyu Jiang, 2025. "Research on the Influencing Factors and Configuration Paths of Employees’ Behavioral Support for Digital Transformation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(9), pages 1-24, April.
    6. Jie Liang & Mengfan Wang, 2024. "Executive Social Connection, Regional Digital Economy Development, and Enterprise Digital Transformation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(15), pages 1-20, July.
    7. Zhang, Sihan & Chen, Zhibin, 2025. "Experts on the board: How do IT-savvy directors promote corporate digital innovation?," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 791-817.
    8. Alberto de la Calle & Inmaculada Freije & Aitor Oyarbide, 2021. "Digital Product–Service Innovation and Sustainability: A Multiple-Case Study in the Capital Goods Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-29, June.
    9. Fernandes, Cristina I. & Veiga, Pedro M. & Ferreira, João J. & Rammal, Hussain G. & Pereira, Vijay, 2022. "Assessing strategic leadership in organizations: Using bibliometric data to develop a holistic model," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 646-655.
    10. repec:ehu:cuader:69660 is not listed on IDEAS
    11. Bora Ly, 2024. "The Interplay of Digital Transformational Leadership, Organizational Agility, and Digital Transformation," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 15(1), pages 4408-4427, March.
    12. Marcos Ferasso & Tatiana Beliaeva & Sascha Kraus & Thomas Clauss & Domingo Ribeiro‐Soriano, 2020. "Circular economy business models: The state of research and avenues ahead," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(8), pages 3006-3024, December.
    13. Sabrina Hoessler & Claus-Christian Carbon, 2024. "Digital transformation in incumbent companies: a qualitative study on exploration and exploitation activities in innovation," Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 13(1), pages 1-31, December.
    14. Chi Zhang & Xinyu Tian & Xiaojie Sun & Jian Xu & Yu Gao, 2024. "Digital Transformation, Board Diversity, and Corporate Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-22, September.
    15. Bahareh Nikmehr & M. Reza Hosseini & Jun Wang & Nicholas Chileshe & Raufdeen Rameezdeen, 2021. "BIM-Based Tools for Managing Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW): A Scoping Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-19, July.
    16. Alexandra–Daniela SIVULCA & Maria-Madela ABRUDAN & Diana Claudia SALA & Nicolae BIBU, 2024. "Navigational Dynamics In The Digital Age: Digital Leadership And E-Leadership In Organizational Transformation," Annals of Faculty of Economics, University of Oradea, Faculty of Economics, vol. 33(1), pages 618-625, July.
    17. Weber, Ellen & Büttgen, Marion & Bartsch, Silke, 2022. "How to take employees on the digital transformation journey: An experimental study on complementary leadership behaviors in managing organizational change," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 225-238.
    18. Li, Chengming & Huo, Peng & Wang, Zeyu & Zhang, Weiguang & Liang, Feiyan & Mardani, Abbas, 2023. "Digitalization generates equality? Enterprises’ digital transformation, financing constraints, and labor share in China," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).
    19. Turgut Karakose & Ibrahim Kocabas & Ramazan Yirci & Stamatios Papadakis & Tuncay Yavuz Ozdemir & Murat Demirkol, 2022. "The Development and Evolution of Digital Leadership: A Bibliometric Mapping Approach-Based Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-26, December.
    20. Wang, Teng & Zhao, Xiaoyang & Li, Xiaotong, 2025. "Geographical influences, media attention and enterprise digital transformation," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 210(C).
    21. Karolina Bähr & Alexander Fliaster, 2023. "The twofold transition: Framing digital innovations and incumbents' value propositions for sustainability," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(2), pages 920-935, February.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bcp:journl:v:9:y:2025:issue-6:p:4672-4681. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Dr. Pawan Verma (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://rsisinternational.org/journals/ijriss/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.