Francisco Ferreira Cardoso

Survival Factors for Subcontractors in Economic Downturns

AbstractThis paper analyzes key issues facing subcontractors in the context of a severe economic crisis, aiming to detect the factors that are critical for the survival of the subcontractors. Although previous research efforts have analyzed factors related to subcontractor performance in regular financial conditions, there remains only sparse knowledge of how subcontractors are to survive when economic conditions become dire, as they have in recent times in the Spanish construction market. In this research, in-depth interviews with managers of relevant Spanish subcontracting companies were carried out, resulting in the identification of eight factors for subcontractor survival: project delivery method, demand, financial capital, relationship assets, managerial assets, human assets, legal framework, and geographic scope. The project delivery method used by the owner and also by the main contractor is mainly based on price. As a result, the subcontractors’ bids get lower, making them unsustainable in the lo...

Códigos de práticas: uma proposta de documentos técnicos de referência de boas práticas para a construção de edifícios no Brasil

Systems for the drawing up of national technical reference documents that consolidate good practices of the building production process exist in many countries. These documents receive different names, such as Building Codes, in the USA, Canada and Australia, Codes of Practice, in the U.K., and Documents Techniques Unifies, in France. In B razil, although this is a new issue, the construction sector is becoming more aware of the importance of formalizing and harmonizing best practices, from the design to the execution, use and maintenance of buildings. The aim of this article is to propose a system for the production of codes of practice for building construction in Brazil. This investigation was based on a broad literature review, focused on successful international experiences, as well as on the analysis of documents produced in Brazil and abroad. The proposed model was submitted to a technical analysis and validation by the organizations from the building sector through meetings and a workshop. The main contributions of this study are concerned with the proposed conceptual model, and with the institutional arrangement that is necessary for the production of codes of practice in Brazil.