Construction Management & Economics

Caplan, A. S.; Gilham, J.

doi: 10.1080/01446190500310700pmid: N/A

Despite domination of the built environment professions (BEPs) by white men, there exists within it a small core of minority ethnic (ME) professionals who are becoming well organized and articulate within their professions. Based on a foundation of research conducted for the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and more recent work for the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) by the Centre for Ethnic Minority Studies (CEMS, Royal Holloway, University of London), this paper describes and analyses the factors that have enabled this group to enter the industry and, in some cases, to prosper. Implicit in the analysis is a critique of those structural and cultural factors that have prevented others from following their career aims, and of the failure of the industry more generally to be inclusive and diversify its workforce. The discussion draws upon interviews with ME professionals, students, lecturers and employers working in Britain in construction, engineering, architecture, surveying, planning and urban and landscape design to exemplify the key areas of access, support, development and progression in the industry, and to present a clear and rounded picture of what it takes to succeed as a ME professional in the BEPs today.

Steele, Andy; Todd, Stephen

doi: 10.1080/01446190500372429pmid: N/A

It is generally recognized that there is a lack of equality of opportunity for minority‐led contractors and consultants (i.e. where at least 50 per cent of the workforce or ownership is from a minority group, such as women, disabled people or a black and minority ethnic community) to compete for work within the housing association sector. In response, the Housing Corporation, the government quango responsible for social housing in the UK, recently commissioned research to investigate the potential benefits of establishing a national database of such companies for the sector in England. The expectation was that such an initiative will help develop, support and promote black and minority ethnic (BME) companies and at the same time, redress the skills shortage in the construction industry. Recent funding cuts within the Housing Corporation now seriously undermine the future sustainability and development of this sector of the construction industry. This paper begins by providing an overview of the types of discrimination faced by BME contractors and consultants. This is set within the context of an unprecedented expansion in the construction sector but where restricted capacity among mainstream contractors due to skill and staff shortages is increasingly evident. The extent to which contractor registration databases have addressed these inequalities is then considered with particular reference to the largest of such contractor registration systems, Constructionline. Drawing on recent empirical work, the development requirements of such a database from the perspective of BME contractors and consultants is considered. The discussion also focuses on the future sustainability of BME small and medium enterprises. The commitment of social housing agencies to equality of opportunity will be crucial to the success of this sector.

Byrne, Justin; Clarke, Linda; Van Der Meer, Marc

doi: 10.1080/01446190500310759pmid: N/A

Women and ethnic minorities remain seriously underrepresented in skilled construction occupations despite European Union policy to overcome labour market segregation and despite their increasing participation in the economy‐wide labour market. The paper seeks to account for differences in female and ethnic minority/migrant participation in both the deregulated, craft‐based construction industries of Italy and Spain and, to an extent, Britain and in the regulated industrial and training‐based industries of Denmark and the Netherlands. The authors found that the only entry route for women is to obtain formal qualifications, with the Dutch and Danish education and training systems being especially pivotal to inclusion. Those from ethnic minorities and recent migrants, whilst proportionately overrepresented in Italy and Spain, face more vertical segregation in being largely confined to the bottom of the job ladder. Key obstacles confronted by both groups are the opportunity to undertake work‐based training, output‐based wage systems, informal methods of recruitment and lack of proactive implementation of equal opportunities policies. The conclusion drawn is that European and national authorities and social partners need to address equality of access and of employment conditions to ensure that regulation overcomes exclusion.

De Graft‐Johnson, Ann; Manley, Sandra; Greed, Clara

doi: 10.1080/01446190500394233pmid: N/A

Approximately 37 per cent of architectural students are women and the percentage is increasing. This increase is not reflected in the architectural profession; women represent only 13 per cent of the total and analysis reveals that women are leaving the profession after qualifying. The research reported here was undertaken in 2003 and investigated the reasons why women were leaving. Research methods included the appointment of an expert advisory group, an extensive literature review, a web‐based questionnaire aimed at women architects and a series of interviews with women who had left architecture. No single reason emerged from the research to explain why women left but a multiplicity of factors, such as low pay, poor promotion prospects, discriminatory attitudes and sexist behaviour were found to influence departure. The problem has an international dimension as revealed through the web survey and from ongoing academic interest. There are serious implications for the future of the profession if, through its culture and practice, it loses skilled people after they have qualified. Finally a series of key strategic recommendations for the professional bodies as well as practitioners suggest ways of reducing this female brain drain. The aim is to increase diversity in the construction industry and improve the competitive edge of the architectural profession.

Lingard, Helen; Francis, Valerie

doi: 10.1080/01446190500394308pmid: N/A

The ‘traditional’ managerial career model was based upon a clear division of labour. Typically, women stayed at home to raise children and manage household work while men acted as primary breadwinners. In this arrangement, relocation, long and inflexible hours of work and frequent travel were not only possible but were a prerequisite for advancement. However, since the 1950s, dramatic changes to family structures and workforce composition have occurred. In the twenty‐first century the majority of women, including those who may be considered in the child‐bearing and early child‐rearing age group, are in paid employment. There has also been an increase in the number of lone parents in the workforce. There is evidence of a corresponding change in employees' expectations, with both men and women placing greater value on both work and family involvement. Given these changes, it can no longer be assumed that employees are ‘free’ to devote all their energy to their work. Nor can it be assumed that there is a clear separation between employees' work and personal lives. The construction industry has a culture of long hours and weekend work, and construction employees struggle to achieve a balance between their work and personal lives. This paper suggests that, in order to attract and retain a talented workforce, construction organizations will increasingly have to cater for the diverse needs of employees with regard to work‐life balance. Furthermore, it is likely that employees' needs will vary according to their gender, age and stage of family development. A ‘one size fits all’ approach to managing work‐life balance is unlikely to suffice. This paper presents the results of an empirical investigation of project‐based professional and managerial employees' preferences for work‐life balance initiatives in Australian private and public sector construction organizations. Preferences were found to differ significantly by employee family structure and age. The small number of female respondents did not warrant statistical comparisons by gender. However, the profile of female respondents suggests that women with dependent children are seriously under‐represented in project‐based positions within the participating organizations. Finally, the implications for managing a diverse workforce are discussed.

Greed, Clara; Reeves, Dory

doi: 10.1080/01446190500372353pmid: N/A

Spatial planning authorities have a pivotal role in shaping the built environment, through the production of development plans and the operation of the development control system. Previous research shows that the needs of women have not been given as much attention as those of men in the formulation of planning policy. Yet European Union directives and United Kingdom government guidance require local authorities to mainstream gender considerations into spatial policy‐making. This paper draws on research undertaken for the Royal Town Planning Institute on the extent to which gender mainstreaming is taking place within planning authorities. A qualitative approach was adopted to identify those factors facilitating or restricting adoption. It was found that a generic, rather than gendered, approach to mainstreaming prevails. Gender is given a relatively low priority relative to other over‐arching policy considerations, such as environmental sustainability or racial equality. A cameo study of the Greater London Authority demonstrates the difficulties encountered by even the most progressive planning departments. It is concluded that for gender considerations to be taken seriously by planners, legislative and procedural reforms are required, along with cultural change within the wider context of the construction industry.

Newton, Rita; Ormerod, Marcus

doi: 10.1080/01446190500372510pmid: N/A

In the UK, a significant number of disabled people are unemployed and previous research has suggested reasons for this include the inaccessibility of workplace environments that have either not been designed, or adapted, to accommodate the requirements of disabled people, and the nature of work being undertaken in that workplace environment. Since there has been no previous research within the context of the construction industry, the aim was to explore contractors' practices in the employment of disabled people and in the adaptation of workplace environments. A survey was undertaken of the top 100 UK contractors in the UK. Views of disabled people were also sought, and access audits of workplace environments were undertaken. The combined analysis shows that compared to UK industries in general, contractors are less likely to have appropriate policies and practices in place to support disabled job applicants through the recruitment process. However, contractors as employers are more likely to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ as required by the UK Disability Discrimination Act if the adjustment is relatively inexpensive, and if minimal adjustments are required in order to adapt workplaces such that they provide an inclusive approach to the employment of disabled people. Additionally, contractors work hard to ensure that if an employee becomes disabled they are appropriately supported in continued employment. Only a small number of construction organizations believed that ‘disabled people do not have a place in the UK construction industry’. It can be concluded that while contractors are unlikely to recruit disabled people, they are more likely to continue to employ people once they become disabled, but there is very little monitoring and evaluation of this process by contractors and it is likely that contractors are not fulfilling their obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act as a result.

doi: 10.1080/01446190500127328pmid: N/A

doi: 10.1080/01446190701761206pmid: N/A