Gender equity in construction professions: A new institutionalist perspective

The construction industry remains the most male dominated sector in Australia. Despite three decades of formal gender equity initiatives by government and business, there is little understanding of why there has been little change to the hierarchical and numerical underrepresentation of women. Using a New Institutionalist perspective, more specifically Lowndes and WilsonÕs (2003) concepts of robustness and revisability, the nature and intent of formal gender equity initiatives, policies and practices are analysed through a single case study of a multinational construction firm. Through in-depth interviews with senior management and a documentary analysis of formal equity and diversity policies it is concluded that the robustness and revisability of policies, initiatives and practices are critical to achieving lasting change in gender equity in the construction industry, as is a focus on men as well as women and gendered practices in policy design.