Mission-oriented policies for digital transformation in Brazil: the role of the Digital Transformation Group of States and its support institutions

• Grant number: 21/06285-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: September 01, 2021
• End date: August 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Applied Social Sciences - Administration - Public Administration
• Principal Investigator: Nicholas Spyridon Vonortas
• Grantee: Yohanna Vieira Juk
• Host Institution: Instituto de Geociências (IG). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 19/04300-5 - System innovation: organizational strategy, research & innovation policy governance, AP.SPEC

Abstract

This research aims to investigate how mission-oriented policies for digital transformation are being designed and evaluated in Brazil. As the world is facing an abundance of different challenges - from health issues to climate crisis and governing digital technology - new forms of designing and evaluating public policies to address these issues arise. The mainstream discussions that consider policy making as a cycle with defined stages and a linear process has many limitations, especially when applied to complex problems, or wicked problems. Digital transformation in governments can be seen as a wicked problem since it affects government services in several spheres, such as health, education, economics, among many others; there are numerous clients and policy makers with conflicting values, and the ramifications in the whole system can be confusing. Digital transformation policies can directly impact citizens, public and private institutions and turned out to be a central discussion during the COVID-19 pandemic, since many public and private services, of all natures, needed to face mandatory digital transformation. The research proposed in this project focuses on the role of the Digital Transformation Group of States (GTD.GOV), an institution that is heading policies and programs with a mission-guided formulation in Brazil, and its support institutions, the Inter-American Development Bank, the Ministry of Economics, and the National Bank for Economic and Social Development. The research project is anchored on a qualitative-quantitative methodological approach seeking to critically investigate a wicked problem that require an integrated and interdisciplinary approach. This topic requires further investigation since it comprehends multiple dimensions: technological, economic, social and political and demands the co-ordination of strategies and policies with a clear goal. Also, since it is a complex phenomenon, a framework for evaluating the effectiveness of mission-oriented policies is also a goal and intended result for this research. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

SALLES-FILHO, SERGIO; FISCHER, BRUNO; JUK, YOHANNA; FEITOSA, PAULO; COLUGNATI, FERNANDO A. B.. Acknowledging diversity in knowledge-intensive entrepreneurship: assessing the Brazilian small business innovation research. JOURNAL OF TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER, v. N/A, p. 20-pg., 2022-11-08. (19/04300-5, 21/06285-3)

PINTO, KAREN E. F.; FALCINI, GABRIEL; JUK, YOHANNA; AVANCI, VANESSA DE LIMA. Social Progress and Environmental Performance as Boosters for Innovation in LAC: an Econometric Analysis. TRIPLE HELIX, v. 11, n. 2, p. 27-pg., 2025-02-01. (21/11476-2, 21/05938-3, 21/06285-3, 21/06216-1)

CRISTOFOLETTI, EVANDRO COGGO; SALLES-FILHO, SERGIO; JUK, YOHANNA; CABRAL, BERNARDO; PINTO, KAREN ESTEVES FERNANDES; HOLLANDA, SANDRA; GRAZIANI, CARLOS; PEREIRA, CESAR ANTONIO. A long and winding road: Research impact evaluation over public policies. QUANTITATIVE SCIENCE STUDIES, v. 6, p. 22-pg., 2025-03-12. (21/06285-3, 22/11419-1)