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

Sustainability

Luis Roberto Arruda¹  Valdir de Jesus Lameira²  Osvaldo Luiz Gon๺lves Quelhas¹ 

[1] Federal Fluminense University, MSG/LATEC, Rua Passo da Pátria 156, sala 329-A - Bloco E, CEP 24210-240, Niterói - RJ, Brazil; E-Mail:;INESC Coimbra, University of Coimbra, Portugal, Rua Antero de Quental, 199, Coimbra 3000-033, Portugal; E-Mail:

关键词: corporate social responsibility;    sustainable development;    heavy construction;    organizational practices;   

DOI  :  10.3390/su5104312

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

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.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2013 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.