Technological capability in the Brazilian naval industry: a metric for offshore support vessels

The objective of this study is to present an adapted technological capability metric for the offshore support vessel construction segment. Based on a literature review, a preliminary metric was developed and used to interview a group of researchers, professors, and managers from the naval industry. Through a qualitative approach, the collected empirical evidence was analyzed and organized in an analytical framework. A pilot test of the metric was then carried out at a shipyard in the city of Rio de Janeiro. The study's results indicate that the metric's application can offer firm managers and government policy-makers relevant information for the design and implementation of business and technological strategies for the supply vessel segment.