Sustainability in the Brazilian Heavy Construction Industry: An Analysis of Organizational Practices
Author(s)
Osvaldo Luiz Gonçalves QuelhasFernando Neves Pereira
Luis Roberto Arruda
Valdir de Jesus Lameira
Keywords
corporate social responsibilitysustainable development
heavy construction
organizational practices
Environmental sciences
GE1-350
Geography. Anthropology. Recreation
G
DOAJ:Environmental Sciences
DOAJ:Earth and Environmental Sciences
Environmental effects of industries and plants
TD194-195
Renewable energy sources
TJ807-830
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Show full item recordAbstract
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.Date
2013-09-01Type
ArticleIdentifier
oai:doaj.org/article:cc77e72d7a9746f898e01c55463605c310.3390/su5104312
2071-1050
https://doaj.org/article/cc77e72d7a9746f898e01c55463605c3