Fatores críticos de sucesso do processo decisório numa instituição federal de ensino superior: o caso UFTM

Abstract

The research sought to understand the complexity and format of the decision-making processes of the federal institutions of higher education, especially the one performed at the Federal University of Triângulo Mineiro (UFTM) and the identification of critical success factors for proposing improvements. The spectrum of analysis was limited to the senior management that, for this study, it was done through the pro-rectorships and the academic institutes at the executive level, and the University Council, at the deliberative level. The research was presented as descriptive and of an applied nature, considering the phenomenon presented. In addition, as a method for data collection, it was used bibliographical and documentary research and the case study. Qualitatively, interviews were carried out with the public employees that occupied management positions at levels 2 and 3 (CD2 and CD3) in the period from 2014 to 2018. The results showed that there is inefficiency of the strategic planning, which makes it impossible to be used as a resource to decision-making. In addition, it was noted that institutional regulation is of great importance and is one of the key points for managers' decision-making. At the same time, a need was identified for a permanent training program for managers who, for the most part, are career teachers who do not have any experience in administrative routines, compromising the quality of the decision-making process. Organizationally, the lack of specific regulations governing the organization and functioning of the University Council, the highest body of the University, has proved to be a critical factor that enables the rise of interest groups and the increase of political influences in the main institutional decisions. Furthermore, the lack of a standard management model with general guidelines and basic management tools reduces the quality of decisions as it does not establish a standard behavior of managers, leaving room for their decisions to be driven by doubtful factors, or mainly personal or political. From the results, then, it was possible to infer as critical success factors for the decision making process of UFTM management: institutional regulation; organization and functioning of the University Council; qualification of managers; tools to support management and Strategic Planning. Based on this, proposals of intervention of easy understanding and applicability have been presented, so that they can be used in a managerial way by the organ of study.