Social Progress through Infrastructure Spending: Examining Australia's Construction Industry

What is it about?

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated pre-existing economic and social challenges throughout the world. The unemployment rate in Australia has skyrocketed due to the country's first recession in 40 years. Australia's governments have responded by investing heavily in construction projects that stimulate the economy by expanding into modern public procurement policies targeting specific groups, such as the conservative Aboriginal communities. However, a number of asymmetries exist between policy makers and practitioners regarding the implementation of social procurement policies. By surveying Aboriginal construction workers and correlating their social value expectations and employer preferences, the paper argues that private corporations can build social value prospects for conservative employees when they proactively introduce employment policies (such as rewarding remuneration and career development attributes) and cultural benefit strategies (such as all-inclusive and ethnically diverse workplaces). For ensuring a rapid recovery from the economic setbacks caused by the pandemic, it is essential to carry out such studies to estimate how enhanced infrastructure spending in Australia can contribute to sustainable social progress.

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Photo by Troy Mortier on Unsplash

Photo by Troy Mortier on Unsplash

Why is it important?

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated economic and social challenges worldwide. Australia's unemployment rate has been skyrocketing due to the country's first recession in 40 years. Governments have responded by investing in construction projects that stimulate the economy, expanding into modern public procurement policies targeting specific groups, such as conservative Aboriginal communities. However, asymmetries exist between policy makers and practitioners regarding social procurement policy implementation. By surveying Aboriginal construction workers and correlating their social value expectations and employer preferences, the paper argues that private corporations can build social value prospects for conservative employees when introducing employment policies (such as rewarding remuneration and career development attributes) and cultural benefit strategies (such as all-inclusive and ethnically diverse workplaces). Such studies are essential to estimate how enhanced infrastructure spending in Australia can contribute to sustainable social progress.

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