Effective Interventions for Change

  • Tessa Wright
Chapter
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Abstract

Chapter  3 illustrated the slow pace of change in gender representation in construction and transport in comparison to other sectors. Chapters  4,  5,  6 and  7 detailed the difficulties still facing women in entering and remaining in male-dominated occupations, while highlighting some progress made and some of the benefits women felt from working in male-dominated jobs. Where changes in the gender balance and gendered culture of workplaces have occurred, this has often been as a result of proactive strategies and measures intended to overcome occupational gender segregation. This chapter examines a variety of initiatives to encourage women to enter male-dominated occupations and to support their retention, drawing on examples from Canada, the USA, South Africa, the UK and other EU countries. It seeks to identify some of the factors that contribute to increasing women’s participation in male-dominated sectors, highlighting the importance of the legal framework underpinning intervention, as well as enforcement of the law, and the political will to implement change at all levels. The chapter discusses published research from interventions in several national contexts, as well as my own empirical research findings from the UK.

Keywords

Affirmative Action Equality Objective Construction Trade Main Contractor Occupational Gender Segregation 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Copyright information

© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2016

Authors and Affiliations

  • Tessa Wright
    • 1
  1. 1.School of Business and ManagementQueen Mary University of LondonLondonUK

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