Mastering the skills of Construction 4.0: a review of the literature using science mapping

Abstract

PurposeSkills development among construction stakeholders has become an increasingly urgent necessity for the successful implementation of Construction 4.0 in recent years. There is a lack of comprehensive analysis on the domain of Construction 4.0 implementation, with a focus on skills development. This study aims to address this gap through the use of the science mapping approach to show the gaps of research domain and propose future directions.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopted a three-step holistic review approach, comprising bibliometric review, scientometric analysis, and qualitative discussion, to obtain a comprehensive overview of research in the field of Construction 4.0 skills development. f on a total of 57 articles published in three databases, the influential sources, keywords, scholars, and articles in the domain were analysed. A follow-up discussion aimed to identify main-stream research topics, research gaps, and future research directions.FindingsFindings discovered that the topics were concerned about Construction 4.0 whilst skills development aspect was lacking in creation of policies, frameworks, strategies in different contexts. The study revealed research gaps such as presence of skills gaps and shortages in some countries, the lack of frameworks and roadmaps for successful Construction 4.0 implementation, and the lack of readiness assessments from professional, company and industry viewpoints.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the knowledge in the domain of Construction 4.0 and the contribution of skills development for its implementation and a comprehensive overview with research gaps and future research directions in the domain.

Guest editorial: Embracing the future construction project lifecycle: education and training for construction 4.0

“…The findings highlight the competencies required for adequate supervision, culminating in a generalised guideline for supervisory skills. Siriwardhana and Moehler (2024) emphasise the urgent need for skills development amongst construction stakeholders to successfully implement construction 4.0, addressing the need for comprehensive analysis in this domain. Utilising a science mapping approach, Siriwardhana and Moehler (2024) identify gaps and propose future directions.…”

“…Siriwardhana and Moehler (2024) emphasise the urgent need for skills development amongst construction stakeholders to successfully implement construction 4.0, addressing the need for comprehensive analysis in this domain. Utilising a science mapping approach, Siriwardhana and Moehler (2024) identify gaps and propose future directions. A three-step holistic review, including a bibliometric review, scientometric analysis and qualitative discussion, was conducted on 57 articles from three databases.…”