An Investigation into Women Participation in Construction Firms – Diversity Management Perspectives

Abstract

Diversity management has gone a long way to support women in construction who are immersed with the macho world of the work environment. The aim of this research is to evaluate cultural diversity management in construction firms with a view to improve women's participation in construction projects. The study adopted a quantitative research method for data collection. 254 questionnaires were sent out to different construction firms, out of which only 113 (10.6%) were returned. The data obtained in the questionnaire study was analysed using descriptive analysis, factor analysis, chi-square, and multiple regression analysis of the statistical package for social sciences. The results disclosed that employees’ values variables of ‘I feel that I can disclose my whole identity to my colleagues’ (0.894) loaded strongly on the employees’ values construct. Further, among the diversity culture variables, ‘Organisation has a diversity officer or another employee with special knowledge of diversity’ (0.817) loaded as the highest variable on the diversity culture construct. On the diversity management, ‘Internal advocate’ (0.848) was loaded as the highest among the constructs. It is therefore recommended that construction firms should develop employees’ value survey forms to draw out information about the current state of their employees’ mindset/value.