Using grounded theory analysis in construction management and civil engineering education: Integrating perspectives to shape a comprehensive view of sustainability

Sustainability education becomes a crucial approach to help next generation construction managers and civil engineers to address the need to reconcile between the rapid resource depletion and economic development in the built environment. As educators strive to prepare future professionals for the evolving demands of sustainability in the construction industry, a better understanding of the current landscape of sustainability education in higher education becomes necessary. This entails recognizing the diverse perceptions and interpretations held by construction management and civil engineering (CM/CE) faculty regarding the essential elements of sustainability, as they influence students’ understanding and are also carried forward into students’ future professional careers. The authors used a qualitative research approach to characterize the concept of sustainability in its rudimentary form. We collected individual faculty members’ definitions of sustainability by conducting semi-structured interviews. Subsequently, grounded theory analysis (GTA) was used to analyze interview transcripts, aiming to unveil patterns and trends that then form a theory-like conclusion. Through this inductive qualitative approach, the authors developed the CM/CE Sustainability Definition Framework (SDF), comprising durability, resource efficiency, meeting societal needs, and minimizing environmental impacts. This paper demonstrates how GTA can be used as an effective qualitative research methodology for CM/CE education research.