| Abstract | This study examines the antecedents, barriers, and drivers shaping how resources, dynamic capabilities, and organizational ambidexterity jointly enable digital transformation in Pakistan’s construction industry. Pakistan provides a valuable context due to its centralized regulation through the Pakistan Engineering Council and pronounced regional disparities between more developed and less digitally mature areas. A qualitative multiple-case study was conducted across eight construction firms in Islamabad and Peshawar, representing core and peripheral contexts. The sample included large (C-1 to C-3) and medium-sized (C-4 to C-5) firms selected through purposive sampling. Data was collected from 24 professionals via semi structured interviews, complemented by on-site observations and document analysis.Findings reveal a broad spectrum of digital maturity, from basic tool usage to advanced implementation of Building Information Modelling, project management platforms, and AI based applications. Human capital, particularly digital literacy and learning orientation, emerges as the most critical resource. Dynamic capabilities are uneven: sensing is largely reactive and client-driven, while exploitation capabilities deliver efficiency gains; however, exploration remains limited, constraining innovation. Organizational ambidexterity varies by firm size, with large firms adopting structural separation and medium firms relying on leadership-driven contextual alignment. Key barriers include financial constraints, skill gaps, lack of structured training and digital KPIs, weak regulatory enforcement, infrastructure issues, and cultural resistance. Key drivers include client demand, leadership commitment, competitive pressure, regulatory potential, and the COVID-19 pandemic as an accelerator. Rather than identifying new factors, the study shows how these interact with regional and firm size differences to shape distinct transformation pathways.The study contributes by integrating resource-based view, dynamic capabilities, and ambidexterity into a unified framework, demonstrating their interdependent role in resource constrained environments. It also offers practical implications, including strengthening governance and training, leveraging regulatory mechanisms, and adopting context-sensitive change strategies to accelerate digital transformation. |
