Unpacking the Dynamics of 3-D Concrete Printing Adoption: An Integrated UTAUT-TOE Approach

In the evolving post-COVID-19 landscape, 3-D printing technology is poised for significant growth, promising to advance Construction 4.0 while mitigating its environmental drawbacks. Despite this potential, a thorough understanding of how 3-D concrete printing (3DCP) technology is adopted within the construction sector is still lacking, especially regarding the role of individuals within organizations in facilitating this adoption. To address this knowledge gap, we propose a conceptual model that integrates the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) with the technology-organization-environment (TOE) framework. We validate this model using survey data from 190 employees across various organizations in mainland China. Our results highlight the critical role of individual assessments—encompassed by performance expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, and price value—in promoting the organizational adoption of 3DCP. Additionally, we found that technological and environmental factors moderate this relationship, whereas organizational factors exhibit only a negligible influence. This research not only sheds light on the dynamics of 3DCP's organizational adoption in the construction sector, but also extends the theoretical integration of UTAUT and TOE. Our empirical findings provide practical insights for organizational leaders and industry stakeholders to accelerate the integration of 3-D printing and other emerging technologies in construction practices.