Inovação no setor público: elementos que influenciaram a adoção de políticas para cães e gatos nos municípios de Porto Alegre e Recife

Abstract

In this research, the general objective was to understand the elements that influenced the adoption of policies for dogs and cats in the municipalities of Porto Alegre – RS and Recife – PE. From the literature, a model presented in the theoretical framework was developed that brought three influencers that explain the adoption of an innovative public policy: the context, the social actor and the characteristics of politics. Each influencer has elements, such as: critical events (GARUD; KARNØE, 2000, BITTENCOURT; OLIVEIRA, 2014), the problems (SUBIRATS, 1992, LASCOSUM; GALS, 2012), the needs (BEKKERS; EDELENBOS;, STEYN, 2011), the agenda (SUBIRATS et al., 2010); the barriers and the inductors (BRANDÃO, 2012; DAMANPOUR; SCHNEIDER, 2008); the individual predispositions of the actors, their formal positions and interpersonal networks (ROGERS, 1883, LEWIS; CONSIDINE; ALEXANDER, 2011); and the characteristics of innovation (BORINS, 2001; FARAH, 2008b; KOCH; HAUKNES, 2005; SPINK, 2006; MULGAN; ALBURY, 2003). By elements, it means any and all aspects considered important to adopt an innovative policy. Semi-structured and open interviews were carried out, totaling 53 interviews: 8 with public actors, 25 with guardians of animals that made use of some policy and 20 with protectors of animals. The method of analysis consisted of content analysis, categorical technique (BARDIN, 2011), with the support of IRaMuTeQ software for systematization and description of data. This thesis argued that in the adoption of innovative public policies, the social and political context, the social actor and the characteristics of innovation are influential. That is, the initial assumption, built based on the literature, was confirmed with the empirical cases of Porto Alegre and Recife. It has been shown that it is not possible to understand the adoption of innovative policies without first understanding the critical events that made possible the change; the problems and needs that justified it; how the problems have entered the political agenda; the barriers and inductors of innovation. It was also concluded that public actors had ties to the animal cause and, when they occupied positions in the city hall, influenced the adoption of policies for dogs and cats. In addition to the context and social actor, this thesis also confirmed that characteristics of innovation influence the adoption of policies. Therefore, the model of the influencers of the adoption of innovative policies has shown to be applicable to the researched reality and can be used to understand the same object of study in other municipalities that have already adopted policies for dogs and cats or even to inspire reflections in municipalities that want adopt them.