Factors of Gender Discrimination in Malaysian Construction Industry

Ho, Qi Rong (2023) Factors of Gender Discrimination in Malaysian Construction Industry. Final Year Project (Bachelor), Tunku Abdul Rahman University College.

Text 14. RQS#Ho Qi Rong#20WVR12785.pdf Restricted to Registered users only Download (951kB)

Abstract

Discrimination is a persistent problem in the construction industry. Over the years, the problem has not been solved, yet. There are different types of discrimination in the construction industry, including gender, age, race or nationality, qualifications and disability discrimination. Among all the types of discrimination, the most common discrimination found through the questionnaire was gender discrimination. The problem of gender discrimination in the construction industry is not only faced by Malaysia, but also experienced by developed and developing countries in a similar way. Developed countries include the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia and Japan, while developing countries include Bangladesh, Singapore, Sri Lanka, India and Nigeria. These countries face different reasons for gender discrimination, such as cultural issues and public perceptions of women's participation in the construction industry. Therefore, this study concentrates on the factors of gender discrimination in order to minimise discrimination in the construction industry. Through the analysis, the top five factors influencing gender discrimination are the lack of specific legislation against gender discrimination, the '3D' image of the construction industry, the lack of confidence in women's abilities, the low public acceptance of women's participation in construction; and the undermining, undervaluing and diminishing of women's contribution in the construction industry. Through factor analysis, the 26 factors influencing gender discrimination were divided into six groups: differential treatment, lack of legal protection, stereotypes, image of the construction industry, low participation of women and low public acceptance. This study will hopefully encourage more researchers to investigate the issue of discrimination in the construction industry.