Competitividade de empresas de construção portuguesas no mercado nacional e internacional

Abstract

The construction sector in Portugal lived booms since the country joined the European Union in 1986 , until the end of the 90s . The beginning of the XXI century coincided with the start of a recession of the Portuguese construction industry, primarily due to decreases in domestic demand for housing and public works. With the current saturation of the domestic market and to the growing phenomenon of globalization, many companies in the industry have oriented their strategies for internationalization and diversification of its activities. The study was conducted through an exchange between Brazilian and Portuguese universities. The main purpose was to identify the factors influencing the competitiveness of the Portuguese construction industry in the domestic and international markets. The study comprised six Portuguese contractors with investments in international markets. Data were collected through questionnaires, interviews and document analysis. The Linked Star-shape model for competitiveness in the international market was applied. Indicators for the evaluation of the influential factors in the international operation of Portuguese companies were defined. These have been classified and analyzed according to each of the determinants of the model: factor conditions; strategy, business structure and rivalry; related industries, demand conditions; government. The analysis identified several favorable factors in each of the determinants (such as transport infrastructure and education, telecommunications, technology, diversification, cohesion of the production chain, strategic alliances among others. However, other important factors were identified which are unfavorable to the competitiveness of Portuguese contractors (such as currency, productivity and national economy) hindering their performance in the national and international markets.