Brazilian Construction Companies Research Articles

Application of Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence for Risk Mitigation of Accidents in Construction Sites: A Case Study of Brazilian Construction Companies

The construction industry constantly faces challenges related to workplace safety. Managing work safety is crucial to ensuring worker protection and successful project completion. In this context, this study investigates the applicability of Internet of Things technologies and Artificial Intelligence models, such as YOLO, to enhance safety on construction sites. The research identifies significant cultural resistance to the adoption of disruptive technologies in the Brazilian construction sector, and interviews with industry professionals reveal a low level of awareness and interest in these technological innovations. Through case studies and quantitative analyses, the study demonstrates YOLO's potential in identifying risks, such as detecting PPE and structural hazards. The results highlight the need to overcome conservative barriers and invest in technological solutions to increase safety and efficiency in construction.

The DAWN readiness model to assess the level of use of Industry 4.0 technologies in the construction industry in Brazil

PurposeConstruction industry (CI) has great prominence for the world economy, and it is expected that, with the use of the innovative technologies and approaches of Industry 4.0 (I4.0), the new industrial paradigm, construction can reach higher levels of productivity. This study aims to develop a model (readiness model) to assess the level of use of I4.0 technologies by the construction sector in Brazil and its most relevant applications.Design/methodology/approachThe methodology used was bibliographic research, design-science research and a survey to validate the model, carried out with 162 companies, considered among the main ones in the sector in Brazil. The literature review revealed 13 technologies of I4.0 applied to construction; hence, the views of industry experts were based on these technologies.FindingsThe Digital Advancement Within CoNstruction (DAWN) readiness model was proposed, showing that among the 13 evaluated technologies of I4.0 and their applications, the Brazilian construction companies had a low level of utilization; both high and middle-income companies presented this low level of use; some technologies with a greater number of scientific publications were less used in practice in the Brazilian construction.Originality/valueThe originality and theoretical contribution are to present a readiness model to assess the level of use of I4.0 technologies and their most relevant applications in the CI in countries with an economy similar to Brazil’s, making it possible to measure the level of adoption of these technologies.

“No One Treated it as a Crime”: An Empirical Study of Corruption Rationalization

Rationalization of corruption relieves oneself from moral imperatives. It comes from the concept of moral disengagement, the cognitive misperception that some inhuman or immoral activity is not wrong, nor against the moral principles of the agent. These concepts are empirically understudied due to the difficulties of acquiring qualitative reliable data of corrupt agents. The research question that underlies this study is: How do corruption perpetrators rationalize corruption? We aim to empirically explain these mechanisms and understand how organizations can foster or prevent corruption rationalization. To achieve these goals, we conducted a content analysis of the testimony of 49 Odebrecht executives, a large Brazilian construction and energy company, who pled guilty to an international corruption scheme. These executives described and deconstructed the rationalization approach they used to commit the crimes over the years in plea bargains. This research summarized previous rationalization studies in eight categories to which we found empirical evidence. Moreover, executives in different hierarchical levels use different mechanisms, impacting organizational prevention and corruption combat.

Big Business and Dictatorships in Latin America: A Transnational History of Profits and Repression

Big Business and Dictatorships in Latin America: A Transnational History of Profits and Repression

Implementation of the Global Reporting Initiative Social Sustainability Indicators: A Multi-Case Study Approach Using Brazilian Construction Companies

This study aims to assess the applicability and adherence to social sustainability indicators by large and medium-sized construction companies in Pernambuco, Brazil. The study measures the importance and influence of these indicators in companies’ decision-making processes. The social indicators from the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) were selected as they come from a globally recognized and widespread organization. The research focuses on nine companies by conducting semi-structured interviews, site visits, and data validation through observations. The results indicate that most of the indicators were considered to have a high level of importance. However, these indicators are not as influential in decision-making as their importance suggests they should be. Currently, only 26% of the indicators are being measured by the companies, covering only three of the 19 GRI categories. The categories reported are occupational safety and health, local communities, and customer privacy. Most companies would be able to report the other 16 categories with minimal additional effort. A prioritization matrix is presented according to the importance and influence of the indicators and the effort to implement them. Overall, this study reveals that companies could easily measure most social sustainability indicators, making it possible to implement more sustainable decisions with less effort.

Seeing Luanda from Salvador: Lineaments of a Southern Atlantic Urbanism

AbstractThis paper analyses the oceanic character of Luanda’s contemporary urbanism as a way of undoing continental entrapments in the study of cities. Tracing the lineage of an urban development initiative in the Angolan capital back to Brazil’s Salvador da Bahia, the paper provides a look into how a Brazilian construction company turned to real estate to forge, export, and implement a distinctive mode of being and becoming urban across the Southern Atlantic. In doing this, the paper also makes emphatic the critical role played by oil extraction in the devising of urban development strategies on both sides of the Atlantic, which then opens up an enquiry into the direct and profound impact that sugar and slavery had in the making of Salvador. By seeing Luanda from Salvador, the aim of this paper is to flesh out enduring features of what is presented as a form of Southern Atlantic urbanism.

Framework proposal for BIM implementation in Brazilian construction and development companies

PurposeThis study proposes a framework for collaborative building information modeling BIM implementation in construction and development companies in the Brazilian architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) market. The study addresses aspects concerning BIM collaboration, levels of adoption and maturity, classification of BIM objects and use of tools.Design/methodology/approachThe study conclusions are based on a bibliographic review and on active participation in a BIM implementation process conducted with two construction and development companies that participated in the study, which allowed examining the practical problems of the elaboration of BIM in various technical specialties, and the proposition of a framework to help overcome these limitations.FindingsThe research identified the importance of adopting standardized methods to develop models, establishing common classifications for objects to allow the use by different stakeholders on 3D, 4D and 5D processes, in a context that information is scattered and, in many cases, divergent across different companies and even different areas from the same company.Originality/valueThe study presents a practical set of methods and tools to be used within a context common to the Brazilian AEC market, on which construction and development companies are responsible for the management of the design and construction phase of a building. The recommendations of the research take into account the shortage of nationwide frameworks and classification standards, so it contributes to filling some gaps of current literature that cover theoretical aspects of guidance documents for BIM implementation but do not detail specific practical applications within a determined context. The limitations of the framework proposed are its focus on establishing context-specific guidelines, which may not be suitable universally.

Barriers to BIM Adoption in Brazil

Purpose: The research goal was to investigate the main barriers faced by a large Brazilian construction company in their efforts to thoroughly implement BIM. This study focused on the analysis of understanding the barriers to BIM adoption and the usage of 3/4 dimensions (3D/4D) on the development of an infrastructure project.Research methodology: The research methodology was exploratory and qualitative, carried out through a single-case study approach made upon bibliographical research, company document analysis, project document analysis, interviews, informal conversations, and observations. The research methodology was developed in six months (from June to December 2019) divided into three main phases: phase 1: definition and design; phase 2: preparation and collection; phase 3: data analysis and conclusion. Data collection was developed using a semistructured research protocol with two different semistructured questionnaires: the first questionnaire aimed at collecting data regarding BIM implementation in the company’s organizational context; the second one focused on the understanding of BIM adoption in the project and on the investigation of the main barriers related to the usage of 3D and 4D modeling in the project studied.Findings: Regarding BIM implementation in the company, although the company studied is a construction company in the infrastructure sector, BIM was considered more efficient in the design phase and flawed in the construction phase. Findings have shown that BIM has improved the information management of the design itself and its interface with the construction phase. In relation to the usage of BIM in the project, a more collaborative work environment was noticed due to the effectiveness of communication between the design and construction teams on the job site. With respect to the usage of 3D/4D modeling in the project studied, the difficulties in extracting information from the 3D model have disabled the usage of 4D modeling during the construction phase. Therefore, the difficulties reported were identified as an opportunity to map deficiencies in the BIM model in order to define parameters for the new project proposals and to automate the process of receiving the model and checking for inconsistencies or lack of information.Implications for Research and Practice: The case study is an example that BIM as a technological tool is not able to promote an integrated design and construction interface by itself. It is necessary to integrate BIM as an integrated process with structured management methods and tools. From our perspective, we understand that contracts should change, including construction stakeholders in the very beginning of the design process fostering collaboration across stakeholders such as designers, design and construction managers, suppliers, and subcontractors, thereby achieving a higher level of improvement potentially carried on by the new technologies allied to management practices. With regard to the nature of this article, it is important to make it clear that the results from this study were based on the Brazilian construction industry only.Limitations: The research is a single-case study; therefore, the findings cannot be generalized. Most of the data were dependent on the interviewees’ self-reported perceptions. We suggest new studies should be conducted with other construction companies in the Brazilian context, comparing companies with different organizational structures and sizes and other types of projects.

Corporate Behavior: An Exploratory Study of the Brazilian Tax Management from a Corporate Social Responsibility Perspective

A look into the literature on corporate social responsibility (CSR) reveals few studies focusing on the relationship between ethical concerns and corporate behavior of companies that perform tax evasion management. This study links tax management with ethics and CSR reporting. The purpose of this article is to analyze financial and social responsibility information disclosed by the five main Brazilian construction companies that are being investigated in Brazil’s Operation Car Wash (Operação Lava-Jato—in Portuguese) because of inappropriate behavior. Based on the theoretical concepts of organizational façades and organized hypocrisy, we used content-analysis methodology and lexical search approach to analyze the consistency between the practices of tax management and CSR reporting. The results reveal evidence of aggressive tax management. To meet its tax management objectives, a company usually manages and plans taxes accordingly, delaying the payment of tax debt and not reporting all tax risks, thus being fined for violations of the law. We found evidence of organized hypocrisy and organizational façades, since there are contradictions between the tax behavior of the investigated companies and their CSR and ethical discourse.

Analysis of the Implementation of the Standard Performance ABNT NBR 15.575/2013: A Case Study with Brazilian Constructors

The development of studies about the housing constructions developments came from the need to ratify the effectiveness of the construction systems to the detriment of the low quality of the final product related to civil construction, which was unfolded in the creation of ABNT NBR 15,575 / 2013 - Housing Constructions - Performance. However, its implementation is still a point of discussion among several companies in this field, besides there is a gap between the requirements and established criteria and the adequacy of the constructive practices. Thus, the present work aims to analyse, through a multiple case study, the process of implementation of the Standard Performance in Brazilian construction companies, focusing on the main difficulties of implementation. For that, semi-structured interviews were carried out in 5 constructors, being possible to identify the implementation process adopted by each company and its main difficulties of adequacy to the norm. Thus, it was possible to verify that although the standard performance is required, the increase in costs resulting from this requirement has delayed its implementation, being the main difficulty of adequacy. In addition, it was observed that although the implementation process of the regulations is incipient, any effort in its direction represents an improvement in the quality of the civil construction and, consequently, in the durability and useful life of the buildings.

Implementación del trabajo estandarizado en la industria de la construcción

Standard Work (SW) focuses on reducing variability and waste based on three conceptual elements: takt-time, work sequence, and work-in-process. Considering the importance of SW implementation in the Construction Industry, there is a need for adapting the conceptual elements due to differences between the production systems. This paper discusses the singularities of SW concepts adaptation in construction processes and proposes four implementation rules. A participatory case study was conducted aimed at the implementing SW in the construction of the reinforced concrete structure of a 26-floor residential building developed by a Brazilian construction company. This process is characterized by long cycle time, a great number of interrelated operations performed by workers with specialized skills who traditionally have autonomy in organizing their work. The singularities refer to the adaptation of the conceptual elements to the context investigated and resulted in four rules to implement SW in the construction industry: (a) define daily work packages as a control parameter due to the long takt- time; (b) focus the specifications of standard work sequences on the team, allowing space for autonomous decisions; (c) establish batches’ size prioritising the sharing of resources between work packages; and (d) define specifications for transporting and storing resources since there are constant modifications of the workstations.

Identification of Importance Levels of Market Risks in the Construction Sector

Abstract Due to the economic crisis, the Brazilian construction companies faced the challenge of remaining competitive in the market, therefore they need to be restructured. Construction projects are intrinsically risky because it changes the environment both physically and socially. Given this complexity and the great exposure to risk, this research aims to evaluate the market risks in construction projects through a field research, analyzing the perception and judgment of professionals in the area. The data analysis was performed by a multivariate index based on the statistical technique Factor Analysis that can be ordered by risk factors by degree of importance. It was possible to confirm the degree of correlation between the subgroups of risk factors and to establish a ranking of the degree of their importance, and the first one considered more relevant was the risk of reducing the quality of the workforce. It was also identified the low maturity in risk management in organizations, even though in civil works a thorough risk analysis is required.

Organizational performance and strategic inertia

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyze the relationship between organizational performance and the pattern of strategic decisions formalized in the planning of a Brazilian heavy construction company between 2006 and 2014. In this period, the company experienced a recurrent pattern of maintaining strategic decisions, despite the systematic decrease in performance and investments in the formal strategic planning (SP) and monitoring of results. The research focus is on strategic inertia and the influence of social determinants on the relationship between performance and the strategic actions negotiated in formal planning.Design/methodology/approachThis is a single-case study. The exploratory-descriptive research comprises data collection on performance and strategic decisions from the period between 2006 and 2014. The analysis was guided through documentary material and data collected from 16 interviews conducted with members of the middle to top management concerning performance, goals, and strategic initiatives. The interviewees’ statements were used to apprehend the interpreted dimension of SP expressed in the meanings attributed to this process. The analysis adopts a sociological base, and strategic inertia is the underlying phenomenon that guides this analysis.FindingsThe results show the interactive effect caused by political, cognitive, discursive, and ceremonial mechanisms obstruct the company’s strategic decisions. This case study illustrates that the conditions for the phenomenon of path dependence were created, reinforcing the strategic inertia observed in the maintenance of a reproduced pattern of strategic initiatives and goals, even though the performance was recurrently unsatisfactory. In this case, strategic inertia showed a complex relationship between the interpreted performance and strategic actions negotiated in formal planning, conditioned by mechanisms of trajectory reinforcement that interfered with the conditions for strategic change.Research limitations/implicationsStrategic inertia demonstrates a complex relationship between the interpreted performance and strategic actions negotiated in formal planning, conditioned by mechanisms of trajectory reinforcement that interfere with the conditions for strategic change. Future research on social mechanisms from the perspective of strategy-as-practice could be developed to capture the tacit components, language, power games, and other relevant categories in the social interaction of strategy development at the organizational level. In addition, future research could focus on investigating the extent to which path dependence is contingent, assuming that it is a temporary and, therefore, reversible process.Practical implicationsThis work contributes to the view of SP from the social perspective and shows that the relationship between performance and strategy has biases that can compromise performance. The work highlights implications for maintaining strategic initiative patterns, which shape a path whose function is less associated with its effects on performance and more associated with the commitment to instrumental results, due to the social nature of organizations.Social implicationsThis work deals with social mechanisms that influence strategic decisions. Since organizational performance depends on strategic decisions, the social nature of strategic inertia has causal implications to economic and social impact of organizations.Originality/valueThis work argues in favor of the influence of self-reinforcing mechanisms of path dependence in the relationship between performance and strategic decisions. The results extended the predominantly structural approach of path dependence by considering interpretive aspects related to the political, discursive, cognitive, and ceremonial dimensions of strategic inertia.

Efeito da Adoção Antecipada da IFRS 15 na Qualidade da Informação Contábil

Diversas mudanças na legislação que rege as práticas contábeis de empresas do setor de construção impulsionaram o do processo de internacionalização das informações sobre receitas de contratos de clientes na contabilidade. O Brasil tem se destacado pela adoção voluntária antecipada da norma IFRS15. Assim, o estudo tem por objetivo verificar a relação entre a qualidade da informação contábil e a adoção antecipada da IFRS 15 pelas empresas brasileiras de construção civil, listadas na BM&FBovespa. O estudo caracteriza-se como descritivo, realizado por meio de análise documental e abordagem quantitativa. A amostra é composta por 23 empresas do setor de construção. Foram analisados dados trimestrais no período de 2013 a 2015. Para a análise dos dados fez-se uso da regressão linear múltipla com dados em painel, tendo como base para medição da qualidade da informação contábil o modelo de value relevance proposto por Ohlson (1995). Os resultados da pesquisa sugerem que a adoção antecipada da IFRS15 auxilia a reduzir o viés de não comparabilidade e possíveis inconsistências que poderiam existir anteriormente, devido à adoção de diferentes critérios de contabilização das receitas derivadas dos contratos de construção. Além disso, as organizações que adotam voluntariamente a norma, na tentativa de contabilizar e reconhecer corretamente receitas de contratos de clientes, possuem maior relevância informacional, bem como atendem às expectativas do mercado. Diante disso, pode-se afirmar que a adoção antecipada de informações sobre receitas de contratos de construção apresentam relevância para o mercado de capitais, impactando no preço das ações após a publicação dos relatórios financeiros.

Strategic group and financial performance in the brazilian construction sector: an empirical relationship

The history of the construction industry in Brazil has passed through periods of ups and downs until 2003. It is today the main player in the Brazilian economy contributing to the production chain with 8.3% in the formation of the total GDP. This paper aimed to evaluate if there is significant evidence of differences between strategic groups of Brazilian construction companies in their financial performance. Therefore, it used the theoretical support of Porter (1986) take into consideration that these strategic groups are composed of companies in the industry sector, and they are following the same or similar strategy over the strategic dimensions. The data gathering occurs in the database of Economática Software Investments S.A., totaling 62 companies. Nevertheless, only 26 companies were part of the non-probability sampling by accessibility due to the availability of all data necessary for analysis. The variables are related to the size, return on assets (ROA) and debt level. Data analysis techniques ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis (KW) was used to evaluate the hypothesis formulated. The results of hypothesis testing showed the rejection of the null hypothesis due to of no statistically significant differences, considering a 10% significance level.

GREEN MARKETING AS A MEDIATOR BETWEEN SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE

ABSTRACT Purpose: The study aims to explore and describe the mediation of green marketing in the relationship between supply chain management and corporate performance. Originality/gap/relevance/implications: The prior intention was to fill an epistemological gap about green marketing. The presence of green marketing in regression decreases the magnitude of the relationship between supply chain management and performance in Brazilian construction companies. Key methodological aspects: The study was carried out using quantitative method with exploratory and descriptive purposes. An exploratory research was conducted through in-depth interviews with ten managers working in the construction business. A descriptive survey involved the application of a questionnaire answered by a sample of 133 respondents. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, linear regression and structural equation modeling. Summary of key results: Data showed that green marketing mediates, in part, the relationship between supply chain management and corporate performance. Key considerations/conclusions: As theoretical implications, the study reinforces positive correlations between the constructs used in the surveyed sector. It resorted to models previously developed that, combined, could be reproduced or falsified, in order to obtain, finally, convergent measurement models. As a practical application, it identified the involvement of employees in environmental issues, missions and visions with explicit statements on energy and water saving and green marketing initiatives to improve the corporate image, such as obtaining environmental certifications. In conclusion, it appears that the civil construction companies have room to improve the communication and image to stimulate both the supply and consumption of green products.

Leading for Sustainability in the Brazilian Construction Industry

This article analyzes the major stakeholders in the Brazilian construction industry from the viewpoint of the companies in this sector, as well as how these organizations relate to their stakeholders with regard to the topic of sustainability in the construction. The study was based on the principle that the relationship with stakeholders is one of the foundations for the inception and continuity of activities toward sustainability. The findings of which show that the construction companies start the sustainability implementation process without the involvement of external stakeholders. This survey points out the difficulty faced by Brazilian construction companies in relating to their stakeholders. There is the perception that the customers and other actors do not value sustainability-oriented activities, but, at the same time, the relationship of the companies with these stakeholders is limited to disclosure of information. This characteristic of the industry reveals a need for sustainability projects that take into consideration, since their formulation, the stakeholders’ perceptions. The importance of this article lies in the recognition that, although the topic of sustainability is discussed at all levels, studies that examine how specific construction industries have been dealing with it are still rare.

Visual Management in Brazilian Construction Companies: Taxonomy and Guidelines for Implementation

Visual management (VM) is the managerial strategy of consciously integrating visual tools in workspaces with the aim of increasing transparency on construction sites. Several VM tools and approaches that had been originally developed in the manufacturing context were implemented in construction. However, research on the application of VM in construction as a managerial strategy is scarce. This paper aims to investigate and classify the types of visual devices that can be used in construction sites through multiple case studies carried out in nine construction companies actively implementing VM. It also discusses strategies for the implementation of VM in construction. The main contributions of this investigation are: (1) a VM tools taxonomy that can be used to identify VM application opportunities, providing a basis for evaluating the level of VM implementation in construction; and (2) identification of critical factors for the implementation and various features of the VM strategy in construction.

As Construtoras Brasileiras e o Processo de Integração Regional na América do Sul

The paper's purpose is to understand the role of Brazilian construction Companies in the integration process in South America. The construction Companies operating in the South American market are present since the 70s, however, it is in the context of the Initiative for the Integration of Regional Infrastructure in South America (IIRSA) and during Lula’s government, that the Brazilian transnationals assume a role in Brazilian Foreign Policy’s (PEB) strategy. To understand the dilemmas and the interests between state and enterprises, the differences between the internationalization process of the 70s and the current are outlined, as well as the ideological transformations that constitute the paradigm of PEB and the mechanisms of government support. The methodology is based on qualitative research, biographical research, as well as interviews and research in the archives of the Foreign Relations Ministry (Itamaraty). The conclusion is that construction companies are elements of a strategic policy, in which Brazil has interests that are beyond the discourse of regional integration.

Concurrent engineering in Brazilian construction companies: Maturity assessment

The purpose of this paper is to identify the maturity level of concurrent engineering in Brazilian construction companies in the Great Vitoria region – Espirito Santo. This is a qualitative research study, which proposes a methodology based on semi-structured and structured interviews applied in Brazilian construction companies, using nine case studies in construction companies of Great Vitoria (Espirito Santo, Brazil). The results confirm the appropriate methodology and confirm that the companies that were analyzed have, in general, a good and managed maturity level. The research also shows that the quality search initiated in the 1990’s in Brazil is valid, since quality was concurrent engineering’s most developed element in construction firms. However, there is still a lack of stakeholders’ integration and understanding of what a multidisciplinary team is and how it should work, which suggests that companies need to work harder in training and coordinating their teams. As the results show, it is also noticeable that certain firms’ characteristics, such as size, time in the market, centralization of decisions, among others, interfere in the level of maturity of concurrent engineering.