Bowen, P; Edwards, P; Simbayi, L and Cattell, K (2013) HIV/AIDS interventions by construction firms in the Western cape, South Africa: A thematic analysis of qualitative survey data. International Journal of Construction Management, 13(4), pp. 11-33. ISSN 1562-3599
Abstract
HIV/AIDS infection in the workforce is a threat to the South Africa construction industry. A web-based questionnaire survey of construction firms in the Western Cape explored workplace HIV/AIDS interventions. Extending previous quantitative analysis, thematic analysis is used to explore the qualitative verbatim comments offered by survey participants. Five themes are identified: understanding the problem of HIV/AIDS in relation to the firm; interventions by the firm; barriers to interventions; success of interventions; and future intentions. Many firms are still in denial regarding the threat of HIV/AIDS. Interventions focus primarily on awareness and prevention campaigns, with less attention given to treatment programmes. Some firms, notably larger firms, have developed HIV/AIDS policies, and have implemented or outsourced awareness, prevention and treatment programmes as a good business model. Barriers to interventions relate to lack of senior management support, risk of breaches of confidentiality, stigma, and anticipated cost. Success of interventions is uneven, but firms not currently mounting intervention programmes indicate their intentions to do so in future. A cascading and unified national, industry-level and organisational strategy is needed. Firms successfully managing their HIV/AIDS response should share their experience with those firms struggling to respond or which are not yet doing so at all.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | HIV; AIDS; South Africa; thematic analysis; workplace interventions |
| Index terms: | quantitative analysis, South Africa, thematic analysis, HIV/AIDS, confidentiality, questionnaire, survey, construction firm, programme, organizational strategy, construction industry, prevention, business model |
| Subjects: | data collection methods, business, organization, data analysis and analytics, Geography, methods and analysis, financial risk, project controls, health conditions and diseases, professional ethics, industry analysis |
| Topics: | Business Strategy, Cost Management, Health and Safety, Geographical Context, Research Practice, Legal Issues, Time Control |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here