Pathways to diffusion of prefabricated construction technology in China: A structural equation modeling study

Prefabricated construction technology (PCT) is gaining global attention for its potential to improve productivity, reduce waste, and enhance project delivery performance. However, diffusion remains uneven because regulatory steering, organizational readiness, and stakeholder firms’ intentions interact in complex ways. Previous studies have been limited by focusing on a single theoretical perspective or by incomplete integration, hindering understanding of pathways linking innovation perceptions, contextual enablers, diffusion intention, and diffusion-related behavior across different levels. To address this gap, this study developed and validated an integrated model that encompasses behavioral, technological, organizational, and environmental mechanisms underlying PCT diffusion. The model was tested using survey responses from 352 construction professionals in China and was analyzed through structural equation modeling. The results showed that diffusion intention functions as a central conduit through which multi-level antecedents shape diffusion behavior, while organizational factors also exert complementary direct effects on diffusion behavior. Overall, the study advances a multi-level explanation of PCT diffusion in policy-steered markets by demonstrating how technological perceptions and contextual enablers translate into diffusion behavior through both direct pathways and intention-mediated mechanisms. It provides a basis for aligning regulatory instruments with firm-level capability development.