Banks, E R (2021) Women in construction: Exploring gender-diverse recruitment for engaging a full workforce. PhD thesis, Northcentral University, USA.
Abstract
This study reflects the construction workforce shortages and the possible solution to fulfill the labor gaps. The problem addressed in this study was the lack of women recruited for employment in midwestern U.S. construction companies. This problem affects the managers within the building industries, who could benefit from workforce development research. The purpose of this applied management study was to reduce builders’ costs associated with labor gaps by engaging more women to expand a labor pool. The chosen theoretical framework was social role theory (Miller, 2013). This was a qualitative multiple case study involving a convenience sample of 15 hiring managers (from a population of 60) from Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin within the painting, welding, tile-layers, plumbers, electricians, and carpenters. Research question 1: To what extent do recruitment practices in the male-dominated construction industry affect workforce shortages, if any? Theme one was a lack of recruitment strategies by hiring management; theme two was continuing discrimination that has affected workforce shortages. Research question two: Under what circumstances does management impact recruitment strategies in the male-dominated construction industry have on female applicants, if any? Theme three hiring management respondents said construction management does not have any recruitment strategies; theme four was discrimination because existing historical evidence also affects labor gaps. Research Question three: To what extent can hiring managers impact your company’s ability and recruiting strategy (strategies) to include more female applicants, if anything? Theme five uses an affirmative action type of program. Theme six was to hire a specialist to recruit women employees. Theme seven includes more support for women’s work and life balance. The implications were hiring managers need a recruiting plan, implement a diversity action plan, and utilize diversity training. Hiring a recruiter to help women support work and life balance, create mentorship programs, foster integrated workplace cultures. Recommendations for future study were research with a larger population, utilizing a mixed-method study, or attempting a broader literature review.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Thesis advisor: | Allen, B M |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | culture; discrimination; population; workforce; role theory; women; employment; recruitment; training; builder; carpenter; electrician; employee; plumber; case study |
| Index terms: | recruitment, future study, construction industry, electrician, women, building industry, carpenter, employment, case study, role theory, shortages, discrimination, plumber, workforce development, evidence, program, population, construction company, builder, literature review, strategy, manager |
| Subjects: | practitioner, organization, evaluation and assessment methods, economic analysis, professional ethics, demography, research design and methodology, data collection methods, data analysis and analytics, professional development, software systems, management, industry analysis, sociology |
| Topics: | Education, Legal Issues, Human Resources, Digital Applications, Urban Studies, Roles and Professions, Research Practice, Business Strategy |
| 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