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Leaders of men: women ‘managing’ in construction

Author

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  • Jacqueline H. Watts

    (The Open University, j.h.watts@open.ac.uk)

Abstract

Although women’s experience of working in management has been studied extensively, the particular challenges they face in this role within male-dominated professions merits further attention.This article draws on research into the career experiences of women civil engineers in the UK to critically discuss the possibilities for women to pursue a management pathway within construction. A feminist theoretical framework has been used to analyse data from 31 in-depth interviews with women working in both the consulting and contracting parts of the industry. The study highlights cultural issues of visibility and the presenteeism ethos of the sector as well as the material constraints of construction sites. Women are taking up senior management posts but only in very few numbers.Their success depends on assuming ‘male’ norms and in these roles they straddle a marginal territory that is bordered by exclusion and resistance.

Suggested Citation

  • Jacqueline H. Watts, 2009. "Leaders of men: women ‘managing’ in construction," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 23(3), pages 512-530, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:woemps:v:23:y:2009:i:3:p:512-530
    DOI: 10.1177/0950017009337074
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Sandra Fielden & Marilyn Davidson & Andrew Gale & Caroline Davey, 2000. "Women in construction: the untapped resource," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(1), pages 113-121.
    2. Simon Peel & Peter Boxall, 2005. "When is Contracting Preferable to Employment? An Exploration of Management and Worker Perspectives," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(8), pages 1675-1697, December.
    3. Elisabeth Michielsens & Linda Clarke & Christine Wall, 2001. "Diverse Equality in Europe: The Construction Sector," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Mike Noon & Emmanuel Ogbonna (ed.), Equality, Diversity and Disadvantage in Employment, chapter 8, pages 118-135, Palgrave Macmillan.
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    Cited by:

    1. Jenny Rodriguez & Evangelina Holvino & Joyce K. Fletcher & Stella M. Nkomo & Tessa Wright, 2016. "Women's Experience of Workplace Interactions in Male-Dominated Work: The Intersections of Gender, Sexuality and Occupational Group," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 23(3), pages 348-362, May.
    2. Jarle Trondal & Zuzana Murdoch & Benny Geys, 2015. "Representative Bureaucracy and the Role of Expertise in Politics," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 3(1), pages 26-36.

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