IX ANPAD Public Administration Conference
EnAPG 2022

The theme covers studies that deal with public finances and accountability, including: taxation and tax collection; public spending and financing; internal and external control function; study on control and compliance in public sector agencies; policies; management; mechanisms; and instruments related to transparency, accountability, fiscal responsibility, performance contracting, and operational auditing in the public sector; fight against corruption; and quality of public spending.                                                                                                                                                                                                     

The proposed theme aims to stimulate the production of articles that present theoretical or practical reflections on content related to the functions and managerial instruments of strategic planning, organization, direction and execution in the intra-organizational sphere of public management, and also focuses on leadership style and decision-making processes in public bodies. It covers structures, processes and administrative behaviour in public organizations in the functional areas of: people management, leadership and organizational culture; communication, marketing and quality in public services; materials and asset management; logistics, operations and supplies; financial and accounting management; process management. In addition, emerging management approaches and techniques in public organizations are highlighted, such as: project management, knowledge management, matrix organizations, design thinking, stakeholder analysis, among others. In the current scenario, characterized by rapid changes and growing challenges, it is becoming increasingly important to make an effort to build a research agenda that enables the production of articles that move along different theoretical and methodological paths, with the common goal of promoting organizational efficiency through the search for innovative and sustainable solutions to the problems faced by public organizations of different kinds. The integration of new technologies and management practices can make public administration more transparent, participatory and results-oriented. Therefore, continuous reflection on these issues is essential for building a public administration that, beyond the search for efficiency and effectiveness, is able to meet society's needs in a fairer and more equitable way.

This theme aims to open up space for theoretical and empirical work on democratic experimentalism, based on participatory action in public administration. It focuses on bottom-up processes based on democratic participation and the interface between different actors, resources, practices, devices and knowledge in public management. This debate is of the utmost importance in the contemporary context, especially considering the crises of democracies and their repercussions on public administration and public governance. A broad research agenda is opening up concerning the scope and limits of collaborative governance and other forms of democratic action in the renewal of public administration, both at international level (Fung and Wright, 2003, Bohman, 2012; Ansell, 2011, 2012; Ansell and Torfing, 2016, Ansell, Sorensen and Torfing, 2022) and in Brazil (Milani, 2008; Vaz, 2011; Avritzer, 2017; Perez; Santos, 2019; Midlej and Silva, 2019; Lavalle; Vera, 2022; Andion, 2023; Avritzer; Zanandres, 2024).

With this in mind, we propose to discuss the relationship between public administration, social participation and the democratic rule of law. In particular, we are interested in understanding: the scope and limits of democratic experimentation and its relationship with increasing effectiveness, legitimacy, social justice and innovation (considering its multiple dimensions) in public administration; the advances and setbacks of democratic participatory action in political systems, governance and public action in territories, institutions and governmental and non-governmental organizations, given the democratic backlash in Brazil and other countries around the world; the challenges of the dynamics of collective and collaborative learning, public investigation, social control and accountability. It also addresses the experiences of social innovations, collaborative networks, social innovation ecosystems and their relationship with the public sector, public policies and public action; the trajectories in confronting, resisting and co-constructing responses to public problems, through social participation and public governance.

In public administration and in the formulation, implementation and evaluation of public policies, the influence of stakeholders in cooperation and competition efforts is observed.  The theme focuses on theoretical and empirical works that use stakeholder theory, stakeholder analysis models and hybrid approaches combining other theoretical references from management, political science and sociology, for example. Some questions are proposed and illustrate the interface of the theme with contemporary issues typical of the field: how do stakeholders act in processes of co-creation of value and collaborative governance in public administration? What are the strategies and resources adopted by stakeholders to influence public policies? How can stakeholders influence innovations in public services? What is the possible dialogue between stakeholder theory and the use of artificial intelligence? How do stakeholders deal with institutional pressures? How do public organizations manage the relationship with their stakeholders? How can stakeholders contribute to the development of state capacities? What is the impact of stakeholders on public policy performance? How do stakeholders operate in public policy networks? How can stakeholder analysis contribute to studies on social participation and advocacy? How do political specificities in Brazil, such as federalism and coalition presidentialism, interfere in the performance of public policy stakeholders? What are the criticisms and limits to which studies on stakeholders in public administration are subject?    

The theme addresses both classical and contemporary discussions related to public policy theories, methodologies, and practices, focusing primarily on their relationship with social and territorial inequalities. The field of public policies, characterized by interdisciplinarity and the dialectic between theory and practice, is a well-established area of knowledge and practice in Brazil and around the world. However, there is still a need to advance critical approaches, especially to confront inequalities in their multidimensionality and multicausality. Public policies can be understood as part of a contradictory and conflictual process surrounding the construction of public problems and the course of public action, whose contours can result in either the reproduction or confrontation of inequalities, encompassing nuances and ambiguities. In this context, we hope to receive articles that address both more established discussions (e.g., the public policy cycle, the relationship with federalism and social participation, intergovernmental articulations) and more contemporary topics (evidence-based public policies, territorialities, cross-cutting and multisectoral governance systems intersectionality, etc.) within the field of public policies. We particularly invite studies that investigate the relationships between public policies and inequalities, including analyses of the effects of governmental actions on the (re)production of social inequalities, as well as innovations for social transformation towards equality and inclusion.

It addresses studies and applications of public policies from a multi- and interdisciplinary perspective within the policy-oriented tradition. It emphasizes problem-solving and the application of diverse analytical tools and perspectives in dialogue with practical realities, including reflections on the concept of "societal impact". Policy-oriented approaches, as defined in the political science literature, are those that incorporate multidisciplinarity (and interdisciplinarity), normativity, and a problem-solving mindset. The emphasis is on the analysis of public policies, programs, projects, and actions, both state and non-state, of civil society organizations, viewed through technical-economic, socio-environmental, cultural, infrastructural, educational, scientific, technological, innovation, and territorial development lenses, among others. It also addresses theoretical-methodological aspects of public policy techniques and applications of organizational change. Another possibility is the design and applicability of public policies from contradictory perspectives, with critical-reflexive readings based on case studies. Methodologically, the theme prioritizes case studies, multi-case studies and comparative analyses, although it does not exclude other approaches. The sections will be organized primarily by sectoral public policies, without disregarding the notion of intersectorality whenever possible.

The complex relationship between the federative pact and municipal autonomy has created tensions in intergovernmental relations that mark cycles of political crises in the world, and notably in Brazil. This web of subnational connections affects the course of public policies, and, consequently, influences the social well-being of the population, the protection of more vulnerable social groups, the worsening of social and regional inequalities, unemployment and others. These and other public dilemmas caused by inter-federative asymmetries expose municipal weaknesses and their state capabilities to promote public policies since the promulgation of the 1988 Constitution and the infamous “autarchy municipalism”. Therefore, Brazilian federalism gives rise to phenomena of intergovernmental relations that come to the fore to analyze practices of interfederative cooperation arrangements (e.g. Public Consortiums), coordination dilemmas between subnational entities, decentralization of responsibilities in the implementation of public policies, and others. In the meantime, the challenges of municipal entities come with a focus on intergovernmental relations, and therefore, it is expected to discuss how local government administrations are organized, what are the characteristics of their state capabilities for implementing public policies, how they deal with fiscal limitations , what are the local infrastructures and profiles of municipal managers and employees. Therefore, expanding knowledge about interfederative relations and their dilemmas regarding state capabilities, especially municipal ones, is the primary reason for this Theme. It is expected to receive research on the most diverse sectors of public policies, with different research methods (the submission of research using descriptive analysis, analytical research, quantitative/qualitative, longitudinal, cross-sectional analysis, mixed methods, analysis of narratives among others). Although the description focuses on the Brazilian case, the Theme strongly encourages the submission of international analyzes of federalism, interfederative relations and local dilemmas in other countries.

The Public Innovation theme aims to promote an in-depth and multidisciplinary discussion on different approaches to innovation in the public sector, highlighting its role in strengthening more efficient, transparent, democratic, sustainable and inclusive public management. In this context, innovation has the potential to generate public value, through initiatives that challenge public administration to co-create solutions to complex problems and to act beyond its borders. In addition to the opportunities, the theme imposes challenges, barriers and possible adverse effects, which need to be studied and discussed. We invite researchers and professionals to share their experiences and research on the theme, highlighting the following subareas:

- Public innovation for social transformation, promoting equity and more sustainable and resilient public services;

- Public innovation, wicked problems and the sustainable development goals;

- Public innovation for digital transformation;

- Opportunities and challenges of digital technology and Artificial Intelligence in public innovation;

- Ethics of digital innovation in the public sector;

- Public innovation for twin transition;

- Governance, management, evaluation and contingencies of public innovation;

- Contributions of civil society organizations to public innovation;

- Co-creation, co-production, inter-organizational collaborations and open innovation;

- Public innovation networks and ecosystems;

- Knowledge management and public innovation;

- Perspectives on people management for public innovation;

- Dimensions of innovation in public policies;

- GovTech;

- Methodologies for public innovation;

- Public innovation laboratories and observatories;

- Management of intellectual property in public innovation;

- The perverse side of public innovation.

We hope to receive theoretical essays, theoretical-empirical articles and technological articles. We encourage works that establish dialogues with other theoretical currents in the field of expanded Public Administration, promote new perspectives, contribute to the advancement of knowledge in the area and strengthen the innovative capacity of public management.

Although it has been present in Social Sciences in Brazil for over a century, the theme of Race Relations is recent in the field of Administration, and more specifically in Public Administration. The myth of racial democracy that prevailed hegemonically in the country from the end of the colonial slave system until the 1980s led Brazilian society to deny the existence of racism as a structuring element of its formation and a driving cause of social inequalities. However, since the end of the 20th century, complaints from civil society led by black movements and analyses undertaken by researchers from academic and government institutions evidenced racial inequalities in various social indicators. Consequently, in the 21st century, the Brazilian State began to implement measures to address it. It is true that the economic and political-institutional crisis that has hit the country since 2013 has brought risks to the sustainability of the arrangements that had been created. It has led to political cooling and loss of institutional space, threatening the implementation of strategic actions to promote racial equality. In this context, this Area encourages discussions on the challenges for the field of Public Administration regarding the treatment of Race Relations as an endogenous element of its object. Some privileged topics are: state racism; structural and institutional racism; environmental racism; racial issue, democracy and public arenas; implementation and management of affirmative actions in various sectors such as education, health, employment and income; race relations, bureaucracy and institutional arrangements; administrative records and data analysis on the black population; public policies and black entrepreneurship; human rights and policies to safeguard Afro-Brazilian cultural heritage; migrations, new black diaspora and public policies; transversality, intersectionality, whiteness and public policies. Theoretical essays and works resulting from empirical research, carried out from different theoretical-epistemological lenses and distinct methodological approaches, are valued.

The theme aims to discuss emancipatory approaches to management and technology in the field of Public Management, especially those of Latin American origin such as Social Management and Social Technology. By considering the interrelationships between management and technology, joint analyses of social management and social technology in the design and practices of services, organizations and public policies shed light on the potential or limitations to the exercise of citizenship and democracy in public management.

The interfaces between Public Management and Social Management and Social Technology make it possible to discuss critical, emancipatory and democratizing perspectives on relations between society and the state, in terms of their management and technology dimensions. We invite proposals for papers that explore the theoretical and methodological convergences and divergences between Social Management and Public Management, as well as their intersections with Technology, especially from sociotechnical or sociomaterial approaches.

In this vein, we invite the submission of articles involving research on: Social management, governance and public policies. Social management and social policies: inequality, justice and democracy. Social technology in public policies. Self-management in territorial development programs and projects. Technology, public management and social (in)justice. Social innovation, collective action and cooperation for the common good. Active citizenship, participation and public action. Social management and collective public arrangements: forums, collegiate bodies and councils. Technology for social inclusion and neglected groups in public policy. Technological policy and inequalities. Public policy and socio-technical controversies.

The current context of global capitalism imposes on Administration a scientific practice that incorporates geopolitical, geoepistemic and geoeconomic analyzes of states, governments and organizations, capable of associating on different scales (global, regional and local), spheres (public and private) and forms (societal, public, business) the elements of the management universe.  Political Administration, as a field of knowledge that deals with the management of social relations of production, distribution and consumption, has been contributing to this purpose, detaching the analysis practiced by the mainstream, whose emphasis is on functionalist/managerialist logic, for a critical and reflective discussion macro/meso/micromanagement.  The proposed theme aims to open space for the presentation and discussion of studies focused on different management models, from different theoretical currents, in order to highlight production, production relations, circulation and distribution of accumulated wealth and income, as well as studies aimed at analyzing development models (developmentalism, neoliberalism, (neo)developmentalism, post-developmentalism, deocolonialism, among others) and their effects on promoting the well-being of society. These studies must also take into account the need to face the theoretical and practical problems that arise in contemporary reality. In this sense, promoting and making concrete contributions to administration today, as a transformative political intervention for organizations and society.

With the greater international connection between countries, the transnationalization of domestic policies and the growing relevance of international organizations, it is important to consider the correlations between external factors and agents with the formulation and implementation of public policies at the national level and the action of governments in the development of international public policies.

This theme, previously entitled “State, Global Governance and Supranational Organizations: management and public policies at the international level”, attracted, in previous editions, good research works, demonstrating the potential and relevance of maintaining a space for dialogue between Public Administration and studies on the international level. We believe it is of great importance to consolidate this space in EnAnpad and, therefore, we are resubmitting the proposal, now entitled “Domestic-international interfaces of public administration”.

In this theme, we will seek to concentrate works that address: (i) International Cooperation and its relationship with the development and management of public policies, as well as in the transfer of policies; (ii) international regimes, which require governments to adopt legislation, policies and practices in accordance with the guidelines of global agreements; (iii) transgovernmental networks connecting governments at different levels in different countries, enabling exchange and coordination in specific areas; (iv) transnational networks of private companies, and transnational public-private partnerships, acting on issues at the domestic/international interface for advocacy actions for policymakers in international forums, influencing changes in national legislation and public management; (v) non-state agents, such as non-governmental organizations and social movements, internationally articulated, integrating the interface of domestic/international relations by influencing governmental and non-governmental actors in the construction of program proposals, as well as articulating their positions in international forums; (vi) international and global public policies, as well as processes of multi-level coordination, cooperation and conflict in public policies. 

Cities are complex and present several challenges for urban management and/or urban governance. Sustainable, smart and resilient cities must be diagnosed, planned and monitored with a view to improving the quality of life of citizens. The theme of sustainable, smart and resilient cities provides an opportunity to present papers from the perspective of studies on cities, challenges and their interfaces in public management, with the proposal of diagnoses, planning, master plans, municipal management and projects for solutions in this approach. The 2030 agenda with SDG 11 brought several goals for cities that must be achieved by 2030 and that must be evaluated and monitored. In sustainable cities, citizens must seek to align their living, production and consumption patterns, taking into account economic, cultural, political and socio-environmental aspects. Smart cities use ICT, technological innovation and digital solutions to face governance challenges, complex social problems and improve urban and rural environments. Papers on the theme of systematic reviews, empirical works and others involving urban management and/or urban governance and public policies in the sphere of cities and their urban and rural environments will be accepted. Some subtopics will be accepted, such as: sustainable development goals and cities; SDG 11 and its targets; urban waste management; municipal planning and master plan for sustainable, smart and resilient cities; urban mobility; green areas; ISO 37120, 37121, 37122 and 37123; ESG and cities; TBL and cities; urban and rural sustainability; strategic cities; geographic information systems for cities; big data and smart solutions; ICT and cities; municipal resilience plans; among others that have a clear association with sustainable, smart and resilient cities.