Ethical Construction Procurement [Kirk, University of Newcastle] 2002-062-A

This research will focus on the promotion, management and diffusion of ethical practices in the construction industry and identify ways in which these factors could encourage widespread cultural change. This will require a comprehensive examination of the construction culture and the development of a set of benchmarks against which the ethical performance of the construction industry participants can be gauged. To this end, it is proposed that this investigation be divided into two areas, namely a literature review and an extensive industry survey from which a series of benchmarks related to organisational behaviour can be generated. The industry survey will compare approaches from a range of organisations from the construction industry. The general proposition, this research will test, is that there are a number of significant differences between culture in regard to ethical performance of individuals and firms in the construction sector specifically in terms of the organisational make-up, the use of codes of practice and a range of ambience and situational characteristics including organisational focus. Further, it is argued that the organisational objective of cost efficiency is far more dominant in the construction sector than ethical behaviour. The research findings emanating from the literature review will also be used together with the industry survey to develop a framework for cultural change. The outcomes for this project will be an Industry Code of Practice to foster and promote the sound practice of business ethics; develop new perspectives on future development of ethical practices and to improve organisational efficiency through the adoption of ethical practices.