APAC Research Approach

To determine the most effective actions that organizations can take to advance women in the real estate industry in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region, WLI and EY worked together to execute the following research approach:

A web-based survey offering questions in either English or Chinese was sent to approximately 1,500 nonstudent female members of ULI based in the Asia Pacific region, as well as to a number of EY clients. These individuals were then given the opportunity to share the survey with other women working in APAC’s real estate and land use industry. Finally, the survey link was published and promoted in relevant industry publications and groups, including the Asian Association for Investors (ANREV), the Asia Pacific Real Estate Association (APREA), and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). The survey was open from November 2016 through February 2017.

The survey received 280 respondents from nine separate countries, with more than 97 percent residing in Australia, China, Hong Kong, and Singapore; respondents were fairly evenly split across these four countries.  The survey represents a diverse group of organizational sizes and industry focus areas (global, regional, national, and local) as well as a wide range of age groups and occupational tenures within organizations.

WLI, in conjunction with EY, also conducted four case studies of organizations—one each in Australia, China, Singapore, and Hong Kong, since these are four APAC countries with the largest real estate and land use industries. One-on-one interviews were conducted with 22 men and women during the case study process to both learn more about individuals’ experiences with formal and informal structures that support the career success of female employees, as well as to gain insight into individuals’professional experiences. This qualitative data has further informed all aspects of WLI’s research.