Ling, F Y Y and Leow, L (2008) Enabling knowledge flow: Retaining graduate women in the Singapore construction industry. Journal of Construction in Developing Countries, 13(2), pp. 65-82. ISSN 1823-6499
Abstract
As extensive resources are expanded in transferring knowledge from universities to undergraduates, it is important for them to enter the workforce upon graduation to enable the knowledge to flow to the industry. The aim of this study is to investigate the extent to which knowledge flow is disrupted because graduate women are not entering the Singapore construction industry to ensure its sustainable growth. This study used a structured questionnaire, with data collected from 116 construction-trained graduate women via postal survey. Results show that 58% of them chose not to enter or are considering leaving the construction industry. The disruption in knowledge flow is due to better prospects in other industries (pull factor) and poor job conditions within the construction industry (push factor). To retain graduate women in the construction industry, it is recommended that employers: introduce flexible work schedule; allow graduate women to work from home; and give them the same opportunities as their male counterparts.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | gender discrimination; graduate women; knowledge flow; work-family conflict |
| Index terms: | survey, questionnaire, work-family conflict, knowledge flow, gender discrimination, Singapore, undergraduate, women, construction industry |
| Subjects: | curriculum development, knowledge management, data collection methods, industry analysis, professional ethics, sociology, Geography, management |
| Topics: | Research Practice, Geographical Context, Information Management, Education, Legal Issues, Human Resources |
| 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