Gestão de projetos na administração pública: um estudo sobre a implantação do processo eletrônico na UFRN e no IFRN

Abstract

The adoption of project management is a strategic and essential need for the public sector in the search for efficiency and to distance itself from the stigma of excessive bureaucratization, delays or non-compliance with deliveries deadlines, and waste of public resources. Given this reality, the present study aims to understand how the projects for the implementation of the electronic process were developed at UFRN and IFRN, as determined by Decree 8.539/2015. The research is descriptive in nature and uses a qualitative approach based on a multi-case study involving the implementation of the system in two federal educational institutions of Rio Grande do Norte. The data collection instruments consist of normative documents regarding the implementation of the electronic process in public administration and semi-structured interviews focused on the project management practices identified in the literature. The interview subjects were the managers who were in charge of the implementation of the projects in their respective units. The analysis of the textual corpus of the interviews, aided by the IRAMUTEQ software, allowed the definition of four major categories influencing the process investigated: Product, Integration, Project Management Practices and Compliance. Subsequently, the analysis of the data was developed using content analysis. Results indicated that legal compliance, i.e., compliance with federal standards related to the electronic protocol, was the main motivator and delineator of project objectives. The research also singled out the project management practices implemented in both institutions, and indicated that a greater volume of practices were identified at UFRN when compared to the IFRN, given that the former has a project office to implement the electronic process. Institutional sponsorship was identified as the main support for project management. In contrast, the lack of in-depth institutional knowledge about document management and protocol procedures associated with administrative processes characterized the difficulties faced by project managers. The main recommendation for future studies is the development of a quantitative study, using countrywide data, considering managers who implemented the electronic process in their institutions. The goal would be to identify representative practices in project management, as well as positive and negative issues inherent to the projects considered during the study.