Knowledge sharing in the construction supply chain: collaborative innovation activities and BIM application on innovation performance

Purpose This paper aimed to examine the role of knowledge sharing among member enterprises between collaborative innovation activities and innovation performance and between building information modeling (BIM) application and innovation performance in the construction supply chain. Design/methodology/approach The structural equation model was used in this study. First, the hypothesis of the relationship between collaborative innovation activities, BIM application, knowledge sharing and innovation performance in the construction supply chain was proposed based on experience; then, the research data were collected by investigation; finally, this hypothesis was tested through data analysis. Findings (1) Collaborative innovation activities in the construction supply chain had a positive impact on explicit knowledge sharing, tacit knowledge sharing and innovation performance. (2) BIM application had a positive impact on explicit knowledge sharing and innovation performance, while it had no significant impact on tacit knowledge sharing. (3) Explicit knowledge sharing had no positive effect on innovation performance, while tacit knowledge sharing had positive effect on organizational performance. (4) Tacit knowledge sharing produced partial mediating effect between collaborative innovation activities, BIM application and innovation performance, while explicit knowledge sharing produced complete mediating effect between BIM application and tacit knowledge sharing. Originality/value A relationship model among collaborative innovation activities, BIM application, explicit and tacit knowledge sharing and innovation performance in the construction supply chain was proposed, and the rationality of the model was verified by empirical analysis. Discovering the relationships between these factors can be not only conducive to mastering the effect of explicit and tacit knowledge sharing in the collaborative innovation process of construction supply chain, but also play a guiding role for the function development of BIM.