Curran, M; Spillane, J P and Clarke-Hagan, D (2019) The considerate constructors scheme: Improving the image of construction, but how considerate are they to contractors? In: Gorse, C and Neilson, C J (eds.) Proceedings of 35th Annual ARCOM Conference, 2-4 September 2019, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, UK.
Abstract
The United Kingdom (UK) construction industry is fragmented in nature, and frequently attracts hostility among the local community and general public. The concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) within construction management is relatively new, and the industry is actively engaged in CSR practices, such as the Considerate Constructors Scheme (CCS). The CCS is an organisation that seeks to improve the image of the construction industry and encourages active engagement with stakeholders. Therefore, this paper aims to identify and document the advantages and disadvantages of registering construction sites with the CCS from a contractor's perspective. This study is part of a broader PhD investigation, concentrating on stakeholder management and engagement. The research method undertaken is qualitatively based, encompassing four case study individual interviews and two focus group seminars with construction professionals on projects located throughout the UK. The data is qualitatively assessed using mind mapping software and cognitively summarised. Advantages of registering with the Scheme include that CCS principles are applied on all projects anyway, CCS has improved the image of construction sites, CCS is good for the image of the construction industry overall, CCS sets new standards, CCS is good for CSR and CCS improves relationships with external stakeholders. Disadvantages of registering with the Scheme include having to pay to be a member, the site inspections are varied, the scoring is inconsistent, the CCS is very subjective, you have to pay a lot of money to improve the image of the site, the assessors do not understand the preparation work involved, and there is too much emphasis on irrelevant activities to gain a high score. The key contribution of this research illustrates many positive and negative attributes, identifying six advantages and seven disadvantages from a contractor's perspective, of registering construction sites with the Considerate Constructors Scheme.
| Item Type: | Conference Paper (Paper) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | considerate constructors scheme; construction image; corporate social responsibility; stakeholder engagement; stakeholder management. |
| Index terms: | case study, focus group, interview, inspection, United Kingdom, construction site, stakeholder engagement, investigation, mapping, construction professional, construction industry, corporate social responsibility, external stakeholder, stakeholder management |
| Subjects: | community and social dimensions, data collection methods, participation process, work location, health safety and environment, Geography, professional development, spatial and geospatial analysis, industry analysis, quality assurance, sociology |
| Topics: | Site Management, Quality Management, Stakeholder Management, Information Management, Geographical Context, Research Practice, Health and Safety |
| 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