Davis, M R (2018) Achieving diversity on local publicly funded construction projects in the state of California: Knowledge, motivation, and organization factors influencing prime contractor selection of minority subcontractors. EdD thesis, University of Southern California, USA.
Abstract
This research assessed the knowledge, motivation, and organization (KMO) factors which prevent prime contractors on local, publicly funded construction projects from hiring minority subcontractors (Clark & Estes, 2008). The impact of Proposition 209 (1996) was explored in this study. A focus on Proposition Q, a local initiative which provided $600,000,000 for funding the construction of municipal police stations and the renovation of fire stations, was the construction project examined for award amounts to six prime contractors (BAVN, 2017). Findings were that gaps existed in KMO influences of the research. The implications were public works construction projects could provide more economic opportunities for minority businesses, more diversity training by city staff was needed, development of a prime contractors’ diversity awards program should be priority, as well as the execution of programs which promote certification, recruiting, and hiring minority contractors including African Americans and women. Also, a priority must be to insure subcontractors are paid on time. Overall, Proposition 209 had an adverse impact on minority business inclusion. Ultimately, federal legislation is the preeminent law; and, it requires equal protection of the law through creating opportunities for minorities to enjoy the same access to publicly funded programs as everyone else in the jurisdiction being served (U. S. Constitution, amend. XIV, 1868). The current U. S. Supreme Court landmark decision of Fisher v. University of Texas (2016) ratified that under certain circumstances race can be used to achieve diversity and reveals a challenge to California Proposition 209 which ties public college admissions, government jobs, and public contracting together. In the end, applying the provision in Proposition 209 to request a disparity study, which concludes in documented discrimination, will result in a set aside program mandated by the courts for the group affected.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Thesis advisor: | Sundt, M |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | certification; contractor selection; discrimination; funding; government; legislation; minorities; motivation; renovation; training; women |
| Index terms: | contractor selection, discrimination, disparity, certification, renovation, funding, program, motivation, construction project, subcontractor, minority, legislation, women, public work, jurisdiction |
| Subjects: | professional ethics, production management, administrative processes, psychology, social justice, economic analysis, legal systems, software systems, infrastructure engineering, tendering, renovation and retrofit, practitioner, sociology |
| Topics: | Research Practice, Digital Applications, Contract Administration, Business Strategy, Ethics, Project Management, Human Resources, Procurement, Legal Issues, Roles and Professions, Engineering Principles |
| Descriptive scope: | 2 PC |
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