An Investigation of Barriers to Adopting Building Information Modeling (BIM) in the AEC Industry of Developing Countries: A Critical Review

Nowadays, Building Information Modeling (BIM) is one of the most significant technologies for most firms in the construction industry of developing countries. Building information Modeling has become essential for facilitating all processes throughout the building lifecycle. However, a glance at the construction environment in developing countries shows that the implementation of BIM lags behind its potential due to various challenges at the project or organizational level. Therefore, this research aims to identify, classify, and compile the barriers associated with BIM implementation in the building industry of developing countries. The research methodology is content analysis, combining meta-analysis with qualitative and quantitative approaches to address the research question. Twenty-eight barriers were identified in two staged content analysis processes. The research outcomes form a comprehensive perspective for enhancing awareness among project stakeholders at different levels. The results highlight that most barriers were related to employee skills, a lack of standards, and software interoperability. The conclusion equips design and construction firms in developing countries with the strategies to effectively address challenges while developing their BIM implementation plans.