## 2 Literature Review and Research Hypotheses  
### BIM: Barriers and Factors  
BIM is a design tool that enables the process of editing, creating and using digital models for design, construction, and maintenance of infrastructure projects throughout their whole life cycle [15,27]. BIM is not only a 3D digital representation of project designs, but also provides a lot of information about the model itself, such as the amount of needed material, cost estimates, and energy simulations. In addition, the coordination of BIM design connects with different disciplines (structures, facilities, energy efficiency, health and safety, etc.) through the industry foundation classes (IFC) information standard. In BIM, the IFC serves as a data exchange format between agents, processes, and applications, which is defined by the ISO 16739:2013 Standard. The IFC is a particular data format that allows the exchange of an informational model without loss or distortion of data or information. It is an open, neutral format, which is not controlled by software producers, and planned to facilitate interoperability between various operators [28]. The IFC has been designed to produce all the information about the project. Therefore, the large amounts of information found in construction information models can be used for several purposes [29]. The potential application of BIM occurs throughout all phases of the infrastructure life cycle, so experience is key in these phases and also for further modifications and improvements of the model. Therefore, technological learning perception and experience using BIM are vital skills [30], because BIM experience contributes to a higher knowledge assimilation, through technological learning. There are a number of contributions regarding the adoption and implementation of BIM [21,22,31,32]. These studies are important in order to represent the adoption of BIM in different phases of the project, as well as diverse countries. The existing technological barriers have been investigated with the general objective of identifying strategies to increase their adoption [1,2]. Several studies analyze BIM as an information system and have focused on assessing user satisfaction [33,34]. It is generally accepted that BIM is a technological tool and is needed so as to improve competitiveness while adding value to companies [3,4]. The theoretical framework of BIM aims to promote the understanding of this technology in the AEC sector. To be able to do this, BIM is analyzed by different research models from many different perspectives. In general, BIM is recognized as an effective tool to eliminate design errors and reduce cost and time [31,32]. Nevertheless, from a technological standpoint, some contextual organizational factors, equally or even more relevant than its actual adoption, have been neglected when researching BIM. As pointed out [10,35], there are few studies that promote the understanding of the technologies through variables of an organizational nature. In addition, the literature revealed that barriers in BIM adoption are as follows: (1) a deficiency of capital, BIM benefits not outweighing implementation costs, unwillingness to start new workflows, and BIM being too risky from a liability perspective [36]; (2) the lack of client interest, insufficient expertise, lack of training, and unavailability of standardized tools, protocols, and issues related to data ownership [37]; (3) cultural resistance, longer processes, high investment costs, lack of awareness, and demand and uncertainly about return on investment (ROI) [38]; (4) the sub-contractors not having sufficient knowledge about BIM, clients' lack of awareness about BIM benefits, high cost of BIM implementation, high cost of training, and unwillingness to change current construction culture [39]; and (5) high initial costs, training issues, and cultural resistance [40]. Therefore, this paper explores BIM as a technological tool in the design phase, where its effectiveness may well derive from organizational factors.