A methodological approach to evaluating the effectiveness of the construction sector digitalization strategy

Abstract

The article addresses the topical scientific and practical issue of evaluating the effectiveness of the construction sector digitalization strategy. The relevance of the study is determined by the fact that, under current conditions, the digital transformation of construction has become not only a tool for technological modernization, but also a necessary prerequisite for increasing productivity, transparency, and competitiveness of the industry. At the same time, existing approaches to assessing its effectiveness are largely focused on individual digital solutions, primarily Building Information Modeling (BIM), and do not take into account the systemic nature of change, the multi-level structure of the construction sector, and the uneven pace of digital development across the administrative-regulatory, business-process, and production levels.

The purpose of the article is to develop an integrated approach to evaluating the effectiveness of the construction sector digitalization strategy, combining the assessment of resource availability, implementation of activities, behavioral changes among economic agents, and long-term economic effects. The methodological basis of the study includes the systems approach, structural-functional analysis, methods of analysis and synthesis, the Results-Based Management (RBM) methodology, and economic-statistical tools. Two original indicators are proposed for quantitative assessment: the Digital Maturity Index (DMI) and the Asymmetry Index of Digital Development (AIDD), which make it possible to evaluate both the overall level of digital transformation and the balance among its structural components.

As a result of the study, a step-by-step methodology for evaluating digitalization effectiveness was developed in accordance with the RBM results chain logic: inputs → activities → outputs → outcomes → impacts. The study demonstrates that the effectiveness of digital transformation should be interpreted as the ability of a strategic policy to ensure a consistent transition from resource mobilization to long-term economic results. The key advantages of the proposed approach include consideration of the sector-specific characteristics of construction, the ability to identify critical bottlenecks in strategy implementation, and the integration of digital development indicators with traditional economic measures such as productivity, Return on Investment (ROI), and Benefit-Cost Ratio (BCR). The proposed methodology provides an analytical foundation for monitoring, adjusting, and forecasting the effects of digitalization and can be used by public authorities, industry associations, and construction enterprises to support informed managerial decision-making aimed at ensuring balanced and economically effective development of Ukraine’s construction sector.