1. FEUDALISTIC ATTITUDE: A BARRIER AGAINST RESPECT FOR PERSONNEL ENGAGED IN CONSTRUCTION IN INDIA
Prof DK Das
Department of Civil Engineering
Central University of Technology, Free State
Joint CIB W099 and TG59 Conference, Cape Town, South Africa, 11–          

2. CONTENT Introduction Objective Methods Results and Discussions
Conclusions

3. INTRODUCTION
We are here

4. INTRODUCTION
Respect for people- individually and in groups although remained a critical factor in every society
It has been found to be undermined and understated in India.
Respect has become a commodity that is available based on different societal attributes such as class, race, wealth, colour, gender power, position, tradition, and so on (Goel, 2013; Mehta, 2013)
People in construction, particularly the workforce at the middle and lower echelons that includes professionals, supervising staff, skilled and unskilled labourers are observed to be undermined both personally and professionally.

5. OBJECTIVE
The study
(1) examines the attitude and behaviour of various stakeholders including decision markers, political leaders, clients, contractors, financers, administrators and professionals involved in the construction industry; and
(2) how it engenders impertinence towards the construction workforce

6. FEUDALISTIC SOCIETY IN INDIA AND ITS IMPLICATION ON THE SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR
No unequivocal and universal definitions of feudalism.
Usually refers to the type of society that existed in Europe during 5th to 15th century A.D.
Characterised by a self-sufficient economy, a dominant class of landlords, who had extracted surplus, products and labour services from the peasants during that period.
Landlords had the hegemony instead of the kings as the central power and development of regional tendencies
Characterised by stagnation, decay and un-stratified, communally land owing village societies
Practice of making land grants that granted the beneficiaries judicial and fiscal rights

7. FEUDALISTIC SOCIETY IN INDIA AND ITS IMPLICATION ON THE SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR
Granted the rights over the people of donated village as well as the increasing incidence of forced labour, decline in trade and coinage and payment of officials through land revenue
Peasants or the common people are often subjected to oppression and exploitation
The society was divided into that of masters and class of subjects,
The aristocratic and higher class became more powerful and their attitude became more rigid and they have got a more superiority feeling. So, in a nut-shell they became all powerful and nobles, and the common people became their subjects without rights and respect.

8. METHODOLOGY
An explorative qualitative survey: The qualitative survey was conducted among the stakeholders engaged in the construction industry
N= 103
Case study: Odisha State, India
The qualitative study included
Analyses of historical social systems and their relationship with the working class
Stakeholders’ perception and opinion analysis
The analysis was done manually through narrative analysis from the storylines of the individuals and group of stakeholders and analytical induction of different events such as analysis of stakeholders’ meetings, review meetings and project inspections

9. METHODOLOGY Profile of respondents Stakeholders Numbers Share (%)
Professionals and engineers 23
22.3
Administrative officers (local level) 7
6.8
Administrative officers (District level) 4
3.9
Administrative officers (State level) 2
1.9
Support staff 6
5.8
Construction workers 32
31.1
Political leaders and councillors 11
10.7
Personnel engaged in social and philanthropic organisations NGOs 3
2.9
Socio-political experts and commentators
Common people associated with construction projects 12
11.7
Total
103
100.0

10. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Perceptions of Stakeholders in terms of professionals and construction workers engaged in construction
…the authorities and leaders don’t care about the personnel engaged rather they want their wishes to be fulfilled and orders to be followed although how irrational those may be... (Engineers)
“… the executive authorities want final outputs and political leaders want their promises to be kept…they least care about who are the people engaged in and how are the things to be done”. (Engineers)
“…sometimes they ask to do unethical activities and if we do not comply then we have to face the consequences that may range from public humiliation, suspension, loss of salary, transfer to loss of job….” (Professionals)
“…. We are being considered as labour class and we have no rights until we remonstrate. People sometimes even do not talk to us with minimum degree of respect….” (labourers)

11. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
Perceptions of administrative officers and political leaders
Administrative officers
Government priorities and common benefits are most important.
Implementation of the construction projects for the common good of the majority of the people .
project execution has to be carried out according to the policies, rules and regulations .
No place for individuals and personal benefits .
they have to conduct their jobs according the professional ethics and government guidelines and regulations .
Local level administrative officers: they have to work according to the advices of the senior administrative officers and political leaders, otherwise they may face unwarranted consequences .
Political leaders
Look for common benefits
Project is important than individuals
Some administrative officials, professionals and support staff look for individual gains from the projects instead of common benefits.

12. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
Perception of philanthropic, social, and community organisations and common people
“…. The authorities and professionals and support staff engaged in construction talk about common benefits, but in reality they look to either appease their superiors or gain personally.
They show a sense of apathy, disrespect and scepticism towards construction workers and other stakeholders”.
People seems to demand respect according to their positions and status.
Example, it is very difficult to meet a high level official or civil servant and most times they are inaccessible

13. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
Opinion of politician and social experts and commentators
The challenge remained with the long tradition of governance system- first monarchy followed by feudal political system and colonial rules.
Long years of class system, segregation based on wealth, power and status have overwhelmed the individuals and the society.
People belonging to the elite class based on family status, wealth and traditions are placed at higher levels of the society.
Wealthy and powerful people have the major say in everything of the society and others follow them.
Same culture has transcended to the construction industry.
For example- the promoters, clients, investors and contractors think they are superior to others and have an attitude of highhandedness and supremacy .
Political leaders have strong hegemony over the community and everybody including stakeholders in the construction industry wants to appease them .

14. CONCLUSIONS
Evident that imperiousness, and lack of respect to subordinate staff and construction workers are prevalent.
Barriers against respect for personnel engaged in construction.
Dominance and superiority complex of socially and economically well off people based on tradition and family status;
Financial supremacy and imperiousness of financially strong people such as investors, financers and contractors;
Hegemony, and omnipotence of politically powerful people;
Control, imperviousness and apathy of project executives and administrators

15. Thank you