Rotinas organizacionais e compras públicas: análise das interações entre os aspectos ostensivo, performativo e artefatos em uma universidade federal

Abstract

Organizational routines constitute an important element for understanding how organizations function, as they enable the examination of how formal instruments are interpreted and enacted by organizational actors during task execution. Although there is an expectation of alignment between what is formally established and its day-to-day enactment, the literature recognizes that variations are inherent to the dynamics of organizational routines, since different individuals interpret and perform activities in different ways over time. In the public sector, this discussion becomes particularly relevant due to the presence of complex organizational structures and highly regulated environments. In this context, public higher education institutions exhibit characteristics that make them particularly suitable for analysis from the perspective of organizational routine theory, such as budget instability, regulatory changes, interdependence among organizational units, and structural fragmentation. These characteristics make it possible to understand how routines respond to situations involving resource constraints, shifting institutional priorities, and the continuous need for adaptation. Among the various routines that sustain the functioning of these institutions, public procurement and contracting stand out. Accordingly, this study aimed to analyze the organizational routine of procurement and contracting planning at a Brazilian federal university. The research was structured into three scientific articles and adopted a qualitative approach, using data triangulation as a methodological strategy to enhance the understanding of the investigated phenomenon. Data were collected through interviews, document analysis, and participant observation at the Federal University for Latin American Integration (UNILA). The first article, developed through a systematic literature review, identified the main problems affecting public procurement and contracting processes and systematized the solutions proposed in the literature to mitigate them. The second article examined the organizational planning routine by identifying the misalignments between its ostensive and performative aspects and the factors contributing to their reproduction. Finally, the third article proposed improvement actions aimed at mitigating the identified misalignments. The findings revealed discrepancies between what is prescribed in formal regulations and the way tasks are actually performed, indicating that routine enactment is continuously shaped by adaptations and variations arising from organizational context conditions. The results also showed that, although formal rules play an important role in guiding organizational activities, they are not sufficient to ensure the standardization and stability of organizational routines. The main contribution of this research lies in extending the application of organizational routine theory to the context of public procurement, providing a deeper understanding of how routines emerge, adapt, and are enacted in highly regulated environments.