The Internationalization Process of Brazilian Companies: a Study of Multiple Cases in the Heavy Construction Industry

The aim of this article is to describe and to analyze how the consolidation in the international markets of Brazilian construction companies occurred. The methodological procedures had been classified as descriptive conclusive research and data was collected under a qualitative orientation. A study of four companies was conducted: Andrade Gutierrez, Mendes Júnior, Norberto Odebrecht and Queiroz Galvão. A theoretical model with four analytical levels was considered: the macro context, the institutional environment, the industry and the firm. The results indicate that consolidation in international markets occurred largely as a result of factors concerning strategic management in response to the institutional processes and the appropriateness of the sector’s competitive conditions. In theoretical terms, this article makes progress when understanding internationalization processes is concerned in that it proposes a model that integrates knowledge from the fields of study of administration, organizations and international business. Although the model may be refined in future research, we believe that it reflects an important step toward the development of a broad theoretical frame of reference capable of covering the wealth and diversity that are typical of international activity