Original Research

Organisational innovation and gender diversity: Insights from the civil engineering industry

Mitah Lamola, David Pooe, Shallone Munongo
Acta Commercii | Vol 24, No 1 | a1269 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/ac.v24i1.1269 | © 2024 Mitah Lamola, David Pooe, Shallone Munongo | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 20 March 2024 | Published: 26 August 2024

About the author(s)

Mitah Lamola, Department of Business Management, College of Business and Economics, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
David Pooe, Department of Business Management, College of Business and Economics, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
Shallone Munongo, Department of Business Management, College of Business and Economics, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa

Abstract

Orientation: The civil engineering industry is vital in ensuring that infrastructure development has a beneficial social, economic, and environmental impact.

Research purpose: This study explored the role of gender diversity and organisational innovation with a view to address social ills in the civil engineering industry in South Africa.

Motivation for the study: The study is premised on the paucity in extant research and responds to calls for more research on the role of gender diversity and organisational innovation with a view to address social ills in the civil engineering industry.

Research design, approach and method: Employing the interpretivist paradigm, 15 civil engineering professionals were purposively selected based on their extensive experience and comprehensive deep knowledge of the industry and interviewed using the semi-structured approach of interviews using the Microsoft Teams (MS Teams) platform. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the interview transcripts.

Main findings: From thematic analysis, the following themes emerged from the primary data: skewed gender representation, females’ retention challenges, creation of an inclusive environment, building a strategic female structure, inclusive innovation, and role models and mentors’ deficit.

Practical and/or managerial implications: The civil engineering industry needs to empower women occupying positions of power and not just fill the numbers through the removal of the male gatekeeping effect as the current status shows male dominance. It is also critical to create an inclusive environment, grow the pool of females to build the numbers critical for gender diversity, particularly at the top, and promote mentorship opportunities.

Contributions and/or value add: This article advances knowledge on the role of gender diversity and organisational innovation with a view to address social ills in the civil engineering industry and exposes the shared patriarchal values that many organisations appear to promote. It further highlights that society still struggles with infrastructure that does not address its needs and points the civil engineering industry towards the current skill sets and experiences of its female workforce, and how to leverage those capabilities to benefit the industry and the entire society.


Keywords

Organisational innovation; gender diversity; civil engineering; inclusive innovation; social role theory

JEL Codes

D63: Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement; E02: Institutions and the Macroeconomy; H32: Firm

Sustainable Development Goal

Goal 5: Gender equality

Metrics

Total abstract views: 511
Total article views: 298

 

Crossref Citations

1. The Career Support Scale for Women in Engineering (CSS-WE): Development and Validation With Engineering Students in Korea
Jeong-Eum Kim, Hang-Shim Lee, Lisa Y. Flores, Seong Woo Ryu
Journal of Career Assessment  year: 2024  
doi: 10.1177/10690727241290170