This study investigates the determinants of Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technology adoption in the South African construction industry, a sector critical for employment and infrastructure development in a high-unemployment economy. Guided by an integrated Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) and Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) theoretical framework, the research adopts an interpretivist philosophy and qualitative methodology to explore the complex interplay of technological, organizational, and environmental factors shaping adoption. The qualitative research employed semi-structured interviews with 15 directors and office managers from CIDB Grade 9 contractors and major consulting engineering firms, selected via purposive sampling. Data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis following Boyatzis (1998), yielding eight themes: limited 4IR awareness, sectoral readiness due to skills gaps and infrastructure deficits, fragmented client-driven adoption, absent training programs, concerns over job displacement, and inadequate government policy. Findings reveal that adoption is constrained by a lack of organizational readiness, acute skills shortages, infrastructural deficits, high costs, and socio-political fears of job displacement, alongside entrenched cultural resistance to change. Furthermore, the studies reveal a vicious inertia cycle exacerbated by socio-political pressures to preserve low-skilled employment in a high unemployment context, overriding perceived ease of use and benefits. While awareness of 4IR benefits exists, actual implementation remains fragmented and confined largely to large firms and urban centers. The study contributes a contextualized, multi-level adoption framework tailored to South Africa's unique socio-economic landscape, offering evidence-based recommendations for policymakers, industry leaders, and educators to foster an inclusive and sustainable digital transformation that balances technological modernization with equitable employment outcomes.

Keywords

Fourth Industrial Revolution, Technology Adoption, TOE, TAM, Construction