Leadership styles in the adoption of 4IR technologies in the construction industry

Abstract The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) has transformed numerous sectors, yet the construction industry lags in adopting technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), robotics and Internet of things (IoT). This study explores how leadership styles can drive the integration of 4IR technologies in construction, aiming to identify approaches that foster innovation and technological advancement. Using principal component analysis (PCA), the research examines data collected via a structured questionnaire from built environment professionals in Gauteng Province, South Africa. The data were analysed with Statistical Package for Social Sciences v29 to uncover key leadership patterns. The findings highlight four pivotal leadership styles: transformational, transactional, charismatic and autocratic, as essential for 4IR technology adoption. Transformational leadership encourages innovation and empowerment, transactional leadership ensures procedural compliance, charismatic leadership inspires during uncertainty and autocratic leadership offers decisive guidance. Based on these insights, a four-dimensional leadership framework was developed to assist stakeholders in balancing these styles for effective 4IR integration. The study underscores the importance of leadership training and adaptability to accelerate technological uptake and support industry progress. Despite the limitations emanating from this study, it contributes to practice by providing a practical four-dimensional leadership framework for construction stakeholders to enhance 4IR technology adoption, improving efficiency and innovation. It also provides a roadmap for further research to validate the framework and expand across different industries and regions.