Encumbrances to Social Media Applications in the South African Construction Industry

Abstract

The recent covid-19 pandemic that grounded all sectors of the economy has seen the proliferation and widespread adoption of social media applications (SMAs) globally. These SMAs have revolutionised interactions, operations, and communications across various sectors, including the construction industry (CI). However, the numerous benefits accrued to the adoption and use of SMAs are faced with both technological and non-technological factors impeding their optimal utilisation. Hence, this paper is aimed at exploring the encumbrances that hinder the effective adoption and use of SMAs in the CI. The quantitative research approach was adopted using a structured questionnaire survey that was administered to construction professionals in the South African construction industry (SACI). The duo of descriptive statistics and exploratory factor analysis were employed to analyse the collected data. The results revealed 24 encumbrances with the risk of identity theft, load-shedding/electricity challenges, misinformation/fake news, possible leak of classified information, and cyber-attacks as the top five hindrances to the use of SMAs. Also, the EFA provided four key clusters which are "Security and Privacy Concerns", "Connectivity and Device Limitations", "Information and Communication Difficulties", and "Usability and Awareness Challenges". The study concluded that addressing the identified encumbrances through targeted strategies can foster the effective integration of SMAs, empowering construction professionals to harness the benefits of digital collaboration and communication in their projects.