Assessing the Norwegian Construction Industry’s Readiness for Industry 5.0. An Empirical Study Involving 70 Leaders in Norway’s Construction Industry

This article examines how managers in the Norwegian construction industry—represented by bachelor’s students in construction site management—perceive and understand the Norwegian construction industry’s development towards the concept of Industry 5.0 (I5.0). The study focused on the participants’ reflections and expectations regarding these emerging frameworks. Using qualitative data, the research draws on insights from 70 part time students with full time industry positions, organised into 15 interdisciplinary groups. The findings show that the participants believe that the Norwegian construction industry is prepared for the concept of I5.0, especially in light of the human-oriented approach. The empirical material indicates that the Norwegian construction industry has a strong focus on employees, supported by trade unions that help steer the industry towards the goal of collaboration between technology and humans and I5.0. This research shows that the construction industry has invested only modestly in robotics within the construction process. Participants highlighted the advantages of the Norwegian working life model, noting its compatibility with the human centred principles of I5.0. The article contributes to understanding how prepared the Norwegian construction industry is for a development towards the concept of I5.0. Construction managers interpreted these concepts and offered an analysis of resilience, including vulnerability and capacity, within a Norwegian context.