Oviedo Haito, Ricardo Juan José (2015) Strategies to develop specialist trade contractors. PhD thesis, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil.
Abstract
In Construction Industry two agents are responsible for the realization of onsite works. The first of these are contractors. However, most of the work at construction sites is delegated to trade contractors (EES), or subcontractors, the second of such agents, in a practice known as subcontracting. When EES have the resources and skills, or assets that allow them to properly perform their services, they feature a subset of ESS. This subset is called specialty contractors (EEE). Additionally, in Brazil, most of the EES are micro and small enterprises, and many of them lack the adequate assets to perform their services. Compounding this, the EES are most mainly engaged in unfavorable conditions, both commercial and in production. In addition, the results of the construction sector are produced by different agents working in the construction production systems, from which the results of the EES also depend on. However, some agents, especially the contractors, contribute to the EES, helping them to achieve better results. However, their results, such as construction in general, are not the best, affecting the sector's competitiveness. Given its role in the works to improve the sector, EEE are needed. The objective of this thesis is to discuss strategies to develop specialty contractors. For this purpose 56 interviews were conducted using Grounded Theory method. The results of this thesis concern the discovery of Enabling and Conditioning processes of production systems. Such processes enable adequate assets and conditions for agents, including the EES, achieve the best performance of their roles in the construction production systems. Based on these processes ten strategies are proposed to develop EEE. The development of better assets and conditions as well as their conditioning in construction production systems have been identified as sources of improvement for the sector.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Thesis advisor: | Cardoso, Francisco Ferreira |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | competitive strategy; development; specialist trade contractors; subcontracting; subcontractors |
| Index terms: | trade contractor, subcontractor, agent, competitive strategy, construction sector, production system, interview, small enterprise, Brazil, construction site, strategy, competitiveness, construction production, construction industry, onsite, specialty contractor, specialist trade contractor, subcontracting, grounded theory |
| Subjects: | industry analysis, management, work location, data collection methods, market analysis, building construction, Geography, theoretical framing, manufacturing engineering, professional practice, economic analysis, operations management, practitioner, organization |
| Topics: | Construction Technology, Roles and Professions, Research Practice, Business Strategy, Site Management, Geographical Context, Engineering Principles, Supply Chain Management |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here