Ermal Hetemi

Ermal Hetemi

Paper and Presentation: A Case Study Analysis of Group Member Interactions during BIM Adoption in the Spain Infrastructure Sector

Abstract: The transport sector accounts for a large share of global CO2 emissions. To mitigate the impact of climate change, several sustainability-oriented large-scale infrastructure projects have recently been on the policy agenda such as electric road systems and expanding rail systems. A parallel development that is expected to accelerate the transition of the transport sector is digitalization. Although ongoing for many decades, these initiatives have recently been augmented by virtual concepts such as artificial intelligence (AI) and smart city technologies. The integration of these digitalization tools at the organizational level poses both opportunities and challenges for the actors involved in infrastructure projects. An approach that is currently promoted in the infrastructure sector is Building Information Modeling (BIM). BIM supports decision-making that leverages various digitalization tools and applications. Although the economic implications of BIM are widely discussed in the literature, the inter-organizational dynamics involving multiple actors in infrastructure projects are not fully grasped. Large infrastructure projects are sociotechnical endeavors embedded in complex institutional frames. The institutional norms, practices, and logics in them are significant. Responding to this scenario, the study conducted an institutional analysis putting the BIM approach in the inter-organizational context in infrastructure delivery. The presentation / paper, based on empirical data drawn from three organizations in infrastructure delivery in Spain, will share the analysis of the tensions among the key actors during BIM adoption and implementation.

Presentation participants will gain 1) an understanding of BIM as a decision support tool for infrastructure programs within an inter-organizational context, 2) insights from Spain infrastructure delivery scenarios [case studies] applicable to other national scenarios, and 3) an exposure to the multi-attribute decision making process addressing the PEESTLE factors – political, energy/environmental, ethical, social, technical, legal and economic.

PMI Talent Triangle: Strategic and Business Management


Biography: Ermal Hetemi, PhD, is a Researcher in the Department of Industrial Economics and Management at KTH Royal Institute of Technology Stockholm (Sweden). He holds a PhD in the subject area of Industrial Economics and Management from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (Spain), and a MSc. in Construction Management with honors (GPA 4.0) from Eastern Michigan University (United States). His main research interest focuses on the dynamics of institutions and inter-organizational actors in the large-scale project setting and innovation technologies in industrial engineering overall. His research was recognized with awards, including the PMI Donald S. Barrie award in 2015. He has published in project management, engineering, and administrative science journals. Since 2018, Ermal has acted as a committee member in the European Academy of Management Conference for the track “Multi-level perspective in major and megaprojects.” He has about ten years of experience in project management, including as a lecturer for a bachelor’s and master’s program in project management and as a consultant.