The brazilian education quality index (Ideb): measurement and incentives upgrades

The increasing availability of social statistics in Latin America opens new possibilities in terms of accountability and incentive mechanisms for policy makers. This paper addresses these issues within the institutional context of the Brazilian educational system. We build a theoretical model based on the theory of incentives to analyze the role of the recently launched Basic Education Development Index (Ideb) in the provision of incentives at the sub-national level. The first result is to demonstrate that an education target system has the potential to improve the allocation of resources to education through conditional transfers to municipalities and schools. Second, we analyze the local government’s decision about how to allocate its education budget when seeking to accomplish the different objectives contemplated by the index, which involves the interaction between its two components, average proficiency and the passing rate. We discuss as well policy issues concerning the implementation of the synthetic education index in the light of this model arguing that there is room for improving the Ideb’s methodology itself. In addition, we analyze the desirable properties of an ideal education index and we argue in favor of an ex-post relative learning evaluation system for different municipalities (schools) based on the value added across different grades

Participação no processo orçamentário (PPA, LDO, LOA) por meio de aplicativos móveis: uma proposta para o governo do estado de São Paulo

Este trabalho tem como objetivo explorar como o governo do Estado de São Paulo pode utilizar a tecnologia para fortalecer a participação dos cidadãos no processo orçamentário público por meio de aplicativos móveis. Nos últimos anos, o advento e a difusão de novas tecnologias tem impactado significativamente o relacionamento do Estado com os cidadãos em todo o mundo. Uma destas mudanças é a difusão e popularização de smartphones e tablets, que impõe desafios e oportunidades em termos de prestação de serviços e participação do cidadão no processo de elaboração, implementação e avaliação de políticas públicas. Para o alcance dos objetivos deste trabalho, como método de pesquisa, foi realizada, inicialmente, uma revisão da literatura sobre m-government, e-democracia e sistema orçamentário brasileiro. Em um segundo momento foi realizada a observação de experiências internacionais e nacionais, posteriormente aplicada ao estudo do caso do governo do Estado de São Paulo, explorando as possibilidades de utilização do m-government no processo orçamentário paulista. A partir de 2010, as leis anuais de diretrizes orçamentárias do Estado de São Paulo, passaram a conter dispositivos com relação à realização de audiências públicas ao Orçamento Estadual, de forma regionalizada. O uso das TICs no processo orçamentário pode contribuir para facilitar o entendimento dos complexos conceitos de finanças públicas e orçamento público. A utilização do m-government para elaboração de um futuro aplicativo no Estado de São Paulo deve possuir uma área explicativa, com textos e vídeos educativos, possibilitando aos cidadãos uma participação mais qualificada e efetiva. Conclui-se que os temas de e-democracia e m-government ainda são incipientes no Brasil, porém representam uma oportunidade para que governos se aproximem dos cidadãos, tendo em vista que ainda não está sendo explorado o potencial de interação e comunicação através da internet e aplicativos móveis. Esta perspectiva ainda não está inserida na agenda governamental, mas a sociedade civil está cobrando participação efetiva no ciclo de políticas públicas. Sugere-se que seja ampliada a adoção do uso de ferramentas tecnológicas de m-government e e-government, porque tendem a contribuir na interação entre cidadãos e o governo na elaboração, implementação e avaliação de políticas públicas com o aperfeiçoamento da alocação dos escassos recursos orçamentários disponíveis.

Past and future of the bankruptcy law in Brazil and Latin America

This paper studies the Bankruptcy Law in Latin America, focusing on the Brazilian reform. We start with a review of the international literature and its evolution on this subject. Next, we examine the economic incentives associated with several aspects of bankruptcy laws and insolvency procedures in general, as well as the trade-offs involved. After this theoretical discussion, we evaluate empirically the current stage of the quality of insolvency procedures in Latin America using data from Doing Business and World Development Indicators, both from World Bank and International Financial Statistics from IMF. We find that the region is governed by an inefficient law, even when compared with regions of lower per capita income. As theoretical and econometric models predict, this inefficiency has severe consequences for credit markets and the cost of capital. Next, we focus on the recent Brazilian bankruptcy reform, analyzing its main changes and possible effects over the economic environment. The appendix describes difficulties of this process of reform in Brazil, and what other Latin American countries can possibly learn from it.

Contribuição do Departamento de Educação da Universidade Católica de Goiás para redefinição do curso de pedagogia

Este estudo sobre o desempenho do Departamento de Educação da Universidade Católica de Goiás, no periodo dedoze anos, tem como objetivo, reconstruir o esforço setorial desenvolvido e ressaltar a contribuição que representou para redefinição do Curso de Pedagogia. A fundamentação utilizada contempla o estudo de documentos oficiais e pronunciamentos de especialistas, depoimentos de profissionais da área, em exercicio no Estado de Goiás, análise de subsidios recolhidos, inclusive em encontros, seminários e congressos sobre formação de educadores. O trabalho situa como culminãncia do esforço realizado o conceito firmado pelo Departamento de Educação em ãmbito institucional ressaltando a repercussão de seus trabalhos em favor da comunidade, traduzidos concretamente na formulação de uma nova proposta, substitutiva das habilitações originalmente mantidas (Administração Escolar e Supervisão Educacional) por duas outras mais condizentes, no momento, com as reais necessidades do sistema escolar goiano: a pre-escola e a alfabetização.

A magia dos invencíveis

Esta dissertação de mestrado parte da constatação de que o sistema econômico social brasileiro. Apresenta uma anomalia ao propor, em leis e planos de desenvolvimento, a não inclusão do negro; com sua cultura e valores diferenciados, no projeto global de nação. Pretende, a partir daí, refletir sobre alguns pontos da Escola Tia Ciata, uma escola da rede do município do Rio de Janeiro, que objetiva basicamente alfabetizar adolescentes e jovens adultos, entre 12 e 20 anos, rejeitados pela escola regular, dando-lhe condições de se profissionalizar numa sociedade letrada, ao aprender a ler, escrever e contar. Por outro lado, ao discorrer sobre a experiência, tomou vulto uma dimensão inimaginável a priori e que se refere à origem histórica daqueles que são Invencíveis para o sistema escolar instituído e que por isso não conseguem ser “educados" e "civilizados". Procurar entender os Invencíveis, o significado e a magia que a "rua" tem para eles, significa pesquisar as propostas e projetos das classes dirigentes, para essa clientela, visando "ordenar a desordem". Por fim, diante da caracterização possível desses Invencíveis, tomando como base os alunos da Escola Tia Ciata, tenta-se descrever a Escola Imaginária e a que se tornou real, hoje. Quais as suas inovações básicas, sua forma de abordar o aluno que se pretende educar e a possibilidade de intervenção na rede pública escolar, de modo a abrir a perspectiva de transformação do quadro educacional atual.

EDF and the Brazilian Power Sector

Electricité de France (EDF) is a leading player in the European energy market by being both the first electricity producer in Europe and the world’s leading nuclear plant operator. EDF is also the first electricity producer and supplier in France. However, Europe, EDF’s core market, is currently underperforming: the European sovereign debt crisis is lowering significantly the growth perspective of an energy market that has already reached its maturity. As a consequence, European energy companies are now looking at international markets and especially BRIC economies where economic growth potential remains high. Among them, Brazil is expected to keep its strong economic and electricity demand growth perspectives for the coming decades. Though Brazil has not been considered as a strategic priority for EDF after the Light reversal in 2006, the current economic situation has led the Group to reconsider its position toward the country. EDF’s current presence in Brazil is limited to its stake in UTE Norte Fluminense, a thermal plant, located in the state of Rio de Janeiro. This report investigates the possibility and the feasibility of EDF’s activities expansion in Brazil and what added value it could bring for the Brazilian power market. Considering that the status quo would not allow EDF to take full advantage of Brazil’s future growth, this work is identifying the various options that are currently opened to EDF: market exit, status quo, EDF alone, local partner. For that purpose, this study collects and analyses the latest energy market data as well as generation companies’ information which are necessary to give a relevant overview of the current brazilian power sector and to present EDF strategic options for the country.

Toward convergence? The brazilian stock market concentration and the role of private equity in its diversification

Using quantitative data obtained from public available database, this paper discusses the difference between of the Brazilian GDP and the Brazilian Stock Exchange industry breakdown. I examined if, and to what extent, the industry breakdowns are similar. First, I found out that the Stock Exchange industry breakdown is overwhelming different from the GDP, which may present a potential problem to asset allocation and portfolio diversification in Brazil. Second, I identified an important evidence of a convergence between the GDP and the Stock Exchange in the last 9 years. Third, it became clear that the Privatizations in the late 90’s and IPO market from 2004 to 2008 change the dynamics of the Brazilian Stock Exchange. And fourth, I identified that Private Equity and Venture Capital industry may play an important role on the portfolio diversification in Brazil.

Main obstacles in the business environment affecting firm growth: a comparative analysis between Chinese and Brazilian SMEs

Usando dados do Banco Mundial, esta dissertação analisa as semelhanças e diferenças entre os obstáculos enfrentados pelas micro, pequenas e médias empresas (MSME) no Brasil e na China. Realizamos tanto uma análise comparativa entre os dos países como uma análise de clusters para confrontar os dados subjetivos e objetivos recolhidos, de modo a identificar o desempenho das empresas, levando em consideração as características dos países e o ambiente de negócios.

Defining student participation and empowerment in higher education

Customer participation has been studied for decades; however, it gained a postmodern perspective around the year 2000. Customers have become co-creators of personalized experiences, moving from the audience to the stage. In the educational context, students must take responsibility for their learning process and participate in the production of the service. This changing is providing opportunities and challenges for higher education institutions (HEIs) to redefine their relationship with stakeholders, especially with students. This study is based on the service dominant logic (SDL) perspective because students are assumed to take the role of co-creators of knowledge in the educational setting. The research uses adapted frameworks and concepts applied in organizational, knowledge-intensive business services (KIBS) and also medical studies to advance the understanding of value co-creation in the HEI context. The current study addresses a lack of research in the higher education context focusing on defining students’ participation and students’ empowerment in higher education context. An empirical investigation was developed with traditional schools in Brazil. This investigation allowed the description of the constructs in the specific context. The description of student participation in HEIs context reflects the relevance of three dimensions – information sharing, personal interaction and responsible behavior. In the Brazilian context, responsible behavior is the weakest dimension in the construct, because the responsibilities are unbalanced between students and professors. The main reasons identified for this unbalanced relation were cultural issues and local regulation. Student empowerment was described as composed by four dimensions – meaningfulness, competence, impact and choice; however, one of them – choice – was identified as the weakest dimension, facing cultural and bureaucratic barriers for implementation in the Brazilian educational context. Moreover, interviewees spontaneously cited the idea of trust in the faculty as an important antecedent of student participation that must be considered when analyzing student participation and empowerment mechanisms. An additional contribution was the proposal of a theory-based framework for understanding the service dominant logic perspective in the HEI context, in which student participation and student empowerment were explored as mechanisms leading to positive student behavior toward institution.

A note on financial regulation and the brazilian response to the 2008‐09 financial crisis

Brazil was frequently criticized for its interventionist and heavy financial regulation up until the 2008‐09 world financial crisis.  According to the neo‐liberal or pro‐market view that predominated in academic and financial circles during the early 2000s, economic development came together with financial deepening, which in its turn could only be achieved through financial liberalization and deregulation. The currency crises of the 1990s notwithstanding, by the mid‐2000s Brazil’s segmented financial market and its restrictive reserve and capital requirements were seen as a symbol of inefficiency and backwardness by most financial specialists.  To the luck of the Brazilian population, most of the advices of such specialists were ignored by the Brazilian authorities, so that, when the 2008 financial crisis hit the world economy, Brazil still had powerful and efficient instruments to deal with the problem.  The objective of this note is to present the mains aspects of the Brazilian financial regulation and how they helped the economy to deal with the consequences of 2008‐09 financial meltdown.