Sustainability in the Brazilian Heavy Construction Industry: An Analysis of Organizational Practices

Luis Roberto Arruda, Valdir De Jesus Lameira, Osvaldo Luiz Gonçalves Quelhas and Fernando Neves Pereira
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Luis Roberto Arruda: Federal Fluminense University, MSG/LATEC, Rua Passo da Pátria 156, sala 329-A - Bloco E, CEP 24210-240, Niterói - RJ, Brazil
Valdir De Jesus Lameira: INESC Coimbra, University of Coimbra, Portugal, Rua Antero de Quental, 199, Coimbra 3000-033, Portugal
Osvaldo Luiz Gonçalves Quelhas: Federal Fluminense University, MSG/LATEC, Rua Passo da Pátria 156, sala 329-A - Bloco E, CEP 24210-240, Niterói - RJ, Brazil
Fernando Neves Pereira: Federal Center of Technological Education, Sockow Celso Fonseca, Av. Maracanã, 229 sala 01 - Bloco A, CEP 20271-110, Maracanã- RJ, Brazil

Sustainability, 2013, vol. 5, issue 10, 1-17

Abstract: This study performs a comparison between the theoretical frameworks of sustainable development and its incorporation in the decision-making practices and models used by heavy construction companies. This study was conducted by using documentary analysis of corporate sustainability reports. Specifically, the content analysis method was used to examine the sustainability reports disclosed by the companies studied. The results indicate four main conclusions: first, the social, political and economic context directed the companies towards implementing sustainable management practices; second, human resource development follows the traditional model of training and development; third, there is an evident effort to balance economic goals and profit-making with social responsibility practices as a way to characterize the corporate commitment with sustainability; fourth, effective and indispensable measures to transform decision-making models were not adopted in the business practices analyzed, and thus the economic factor continues to be prioritized at the expense of social and environmental aspects in those models. This paper, in looking at three Brazilian multinational heavy construction companies, examines the synergy between the theoretical and the identified corporate sustainability practices. Lastly, this paper may be characterized as a descriptive study based on a literature review and an analysis of sustainability reports from the companies studied.

Keywords: corporate social responsibility; sustainable development; heavy construction; organizational practices (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (9)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:5:y:2013:i:10:p:4312-4328:d:29229

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