Road Construction Projects: Establishment of Project Management 4.0 Maturity Level From Industry 4.0 Transformation

The adoption of Industry 4.0 (I4.0) technologies within the construction sector has outpaced the development of empirical frameworks for the assessment of Project Management 4.0 (PM4.0) for digital transformation, especially for road construction projects (RCPs) in developing economies. Most existing frameworks for assessing PM4.0 maturity are focused on the digital readiness of organizations and/or traditional project management (PM) frameworks. This study thus assessed the PM4.0 maturity for RCPs in Tanzania. The study employed a mixed‐method approach that integrated a systematic literature review (SLR) and a survey on 107 RCPs. Forty‐five PM4.0 maturity parameters were identified and consolidated into nine dimensions: strategy, leadership, operations, culture, people, governance, technology, equipment, and organization. The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) validated the structure of the parameters. An expert‐weighted maturity scoring model was developed to assess PM4.0 maturity. The results showed that the overall PM4.0 maturity score was 2.14, indicating a maturity level of digital novice (Level 2). The maturity landscape of PM practices for RCPs varies across different levels, with strategy, leadership, equipment, and governance at level one; operations, culture, people or employee, and technology at level two; and only the organization category at level three. Proposed strategies to enhance PM4.0 maturity in construction projects include: extensive training programs focused on digital tools, mentorship initiatives, partnerships among government, private sectors, and academia, industry forums for knowledge sharing, investment in IT and cloud infrastructure, promotion of smart equipment, for example, building information modeling (BIM) tools and geographical information system (GIS), development of digital compliance policies, incentives for early adopters of PM4.0 technologies, regular stakeholder engagement, visionary leadership for digital transformation, and a data‐driven approach to monitor and improve PM4.0 maturity levels. The research highlights the importance of understanding PM4.0 and its benefits in RCPs. Implementing PM4.0 leads to improved project outcomes through better planning, execution, and monitoring, resulting in fewer delays, cost savings, and enhanced quality. It enables the development of quality infrastructure, promoting economic growth and improved living standards. Additionally, PM4.0 necessitates capacity building and skill development, creating a more skilled workforce.