Author： Haupt Theo Fester Ferdinand
Publisher： Emerald Group Publishing Ltd
ISSN： 1726-0531
Source： Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology, Vol.10, Iss.1, 2012-03, pp. : 52-71
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Abstract
Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to report on the findings of a needs assessment study of South African women-owned enterprises in construction. The study was done in preparation for the rolling out of an empowerment initiative country-wide in South Africa, building on the lessons learnt and recommendations from the current and previous studies. Design/methodology/approach - An extensive review of relevant literature was used to develop a survey instrument and guide the stakeholder workshops to establish the needs of women-owned contractors in South Africa. Findings - The study found that fair procurement processes, women-friendly construction sites, a construction bank and relevant career-aligned training with mentoring were enablers to transform existing enterprises to multi-skilled independent entities able to participate in the mainstream construction sector and register in the higher grades of the CIDB Register of Contractors. Research limitations/implications - Findings are based on views from respondents in South Africa registered in grades 1 through 5 on the CIDB Register of Contractors with legitimate e-mail addresses. Practical implications - The professionally facilitated workshops and broad-based stakeholder involvement in the project enhanced the validity of the study and the success of a development agenda if adopted for implementation. Originality/value - The value of the paper lies in the roadmap for development for similar initiatives.
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