The Positive Potential Of Industry 4.0: A call to arms for gender equity in construction

Abstract

Despite decades of research and policy, women continue to experience barriers to entering, staying in, and succeeding in built environment careers. In 2004, Fowler and Wilson published a Bourdieusian critique of the habitus that hindered gender equity in built environment professions. This research explores the intersections of gender and built environment practice since Fowler and Wilson’s publication, via an interdisciplinary and systematic literature review. In particular, the potential effects of recent developments in construction industry culture and practice associated with Industry 4.0 are considered. Findings suggest that these changes in the historical field of operation could produce new opportunities for gender equity and democracy in digital spaces: a chance to identify new norms of culture and practice that can remove existing barriers,and empower women to fully participate in a working environment that values diversity in all its forms. However, this will only happen with intentional effort towards the development of a new culture.