Modeling barriers to the adoption of robotics in construction companies in Sarawak, Malaysia

Document Type

Review

Publication Date

1-1-2026

Abstract

The construction industry has long been plagued by high accident rates, low productivity, significant waste of construction materials, and high reliance on labor. One of the potential measures to address these problems is the adoption of innovative technologies such as robotics, as highlighted in the literature review. However, despite the vast amount of research that has been conducted on the potential benefits and opportunities of adopting robotics in the construction industry, its adoption remains limited. In Malaysia, studies examining the barriers to the adoption of robotics in the construction industry from the perspective of construction companies are lacking. Against this background, the present research aims to analyze robotics adoption barriers in construction companies in Sarawak, Malaysia, by using a partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) approach. Structured questionnaires were distributed to 350 Grade 7 construction companies in Sarawak to collect data. Eventually, 91 valid responses were collected, reflecting a 26% response rate. The valid responses were analyzed via SmartPLS 4. The results revealed that four categories of barriers, namely, the cost of implementation and operation, lack of knowledge, operational barriers, and lack of awareness, are significantly related to the adoption of robotics. These research findings can be referred to by construction companies in Sarawak that plan to adopt robotics in their construction projects for strategic planning to address significant barriers. Moreover, it is anticipated that the present research can increase awareness in adopting robotics in the construction industry, thereby improving the safety, productivity, and performance of construction projects in Sarawak in the future.

Publication Title

Multidisciplinary Reviews

DOI

10.31893/multirev.2026031

Volume

9

Issue

1

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