ASSESSING THE DIGITALIZATION READINESS OF THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY IN THE ARCTIC: A REGIONAL RANKING APPROACH

Abstract

The relevance of developing the construction sector in Russia stems from the imperative to 1) enhance productivity, 2) reduce costs and improve quality and safety, and 3) address future challenges such as climate change and economic diversification. This article assesses the readiness of regions for digitalizing the construction sector through a ranking system based on the geometric mean. Digitalization readiness in the construction industry is the current state of territorial socio-economic systems defined across four areas of development: the socio-economic domain, research and innovations, the digital sphere, and the industrial domain. The study aims to establish a regional ranking to assess digitalization readiness in the construction sector, with a specific focus on the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation. Regional specialization in construction-related economic activities is identified, revealing that the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug and the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) present opportunities for creating an industrial cluster. A benchmark ranking is proposed, indicating that the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug and the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) exhibit attractiveness for strategic initiatives aimed at digitalizing the construction industry.

Keywords

• digitalization
• ranking
• construction sector
• construction industry
• geometric mean
• arctic