Participação administrativa processual na administração pública dialógica

The dissertation, which is based on the deductive method, by using general concepts of the theory of the administrative participation in the administrative process, addresses the importance of strengthening administrative and procedural activities of citizen involvement in public administration for the administrative consolidation of democracy in Brazil. The emergence of Administrative Law has particular importance for the understanding of its institutions and, of course, for the different fields of public administration. The authoritarian profile of this area of law still exists as a clear recollection of their origin, mainly based on a relationship of superiority of the state over the individuals. Indeed, does not even modern constitutionalism could print a true democracy administrative, since the constitutions were not properly observed by the Government. Furthermore, only the process of constitutionalization of administrative law legal relations took a more democratic profile. That is, the creation of an environment of dialogue with civil society is a recent achievement of the Brazilian government. As the administrative process involves dilemmas and solutions of state action, because it is revealed the expression government, the strengthening of institutions and principles related to the administrative procedure is important for role in making a more participatory relationship between state and citizen. Thus, administrative participation can be considered not only a mechanism of control and legitimacy of state action, but also for improvement and reduction of administrative costs, as a requirement of the principle of efficiency. The objective of this investigation is to assert as the administrative legal relation, the administrative legality, the administrative jurisdiction, the processuality administrative, the consensuality administrative and administrative justice, together with administrative participation, can contribute to a more democratic role of the Public Administration and, therefore, more dialogic and consolidator of the fundamental rights of citizens. Therefore, we highlight the importance of the administrative process and administrative participation as mechanisms for improving public policy and thus as a means of reducing administrative costs mediate the state

Aplicação da democracia deliberativa como mecanismo de efetivação do direito fundamental a uma administração pública proba

This study aims to analyze citizen participation in state policy decisions, as an essential element of legitimacy in the branches of government, especially in the sphere of the Executive, in the context of deliberative democracy. But, this study still has the desideratum to understand the citizen's role in public life, especially in the sphere of the Executive Branch, in order to effect the Fundamental Right to Public Administration proba, efficient and honest. Thus, to achieve this mister, the proposal is to expose the pesamento the classic contractualist, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke and Rousseau about the legitimacy of governments, through the statutes, and the question of the general will and majority rule as well how to present the comments of Thomas Jefferson on popular sovereignty and dialogical citizen participation in matters of local interest. After, it will be studied the theories of Fundamental Rights in order to demonstrate the need for the Civil Service should be veiled in a more specific custody rights, given the deep crisis in the Public Administrative practice due, especially, corruption. On the other side, the fundamentality of management also covers the aspect of the development of cities, which decisively affects the development of man, which, to join a deliberative governance program needs to be politicized, adopting full participation, dialogue, as duty citizen. Furthermore, taking as most heart, will be presented the doctrine of Jürgen Habermas, whose Discourse Theory element is to be followed for the implementation of a This study aims to analyze citizen participation in state policy decisions, as an essential element of legitimacy in the branches of the government, especially in the sphere of the Executive, in the context of deliberative democracy. But, this study also has the desideratum to understand the citizen's role in public life, especially in the sphere of the Executive Branch, in order to actualize the Fundamental Right to a just, efficient and honest Public Administration. Thus, to achieve this necessity, the proposal is to expose the thought of the classic contractualist thinkers, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke and Rousseau about the legitimacy of governments, through the statutes, and the question of the general will and majority rule as well as how to present the comments of Thomas Jefferson on popular sovereignty and dialogical citizen participation in matters of local interest. Later on, the theories of Fundamental Rights will be studied in order to demonstrate that the need for the Civil Service should be veiled in a more specific right custody, given the deep crisis in the Public Administrative practice due to, especially, the corruption. On the other hand, the fundamentality of management also covers the aspect of the development of cities, which decisively affects the development of man, who, to join a deliberative governance program, needs to be politicized, adopting full participation and dialogue as a citizen responsibility. Furthermore, taking as the major heart, it will be presented the doctrine of Jürgen Habermas whose Discourse Theory element is to be followed for the implementation of a broad deliberative and emancipatory democracy, with effective citizen participation. It will also be considered the Condorcet Constitution Project as a comparative link in the linking of the public deliberative will, and the Central Power, in the face of the Theory of “Sluice” Habermas. The proposal, based on communicative action, must allow a continuous flux and influx process of social interests towards the exercise of administrative power. The dialogical deal, brought to the center of the decisions, will allow discussions in the public scope, and may contribute to the legitimacy of government actions, inasmuch as it creates the feeling of politicization demanded by the man in a democratic state.

A estrutura burocrática de poder no stricto sensu em administração no Brasil: o caso do mestrado profissional em administração pública em Rede Nacional - PROFIAP

This study approaches bureaucratic organizational structures with the aim to understand the adherence procedure to virtual technologies in the stricto sensu educational administrative process. Thus, the author navigates through the formation of these organizations in Brazil with the intent to demonstrate the bureaucratic organizational culture and the consequent form of domination of those who detain power. In this epistemological construction, the author explores the culture s bureaucratic environment and the organizational power. In the analyses, it was observed the technological phenomenon in the ODL s administrative environment, which can explain the adherence procedure to structures and technological instruments for stricto sensu courses that, hypothetically, dilutes the traditional inherited organizational axiom. Therefore, it was utilized as object of study the Professional Master s degree in National Scale Public Administration PROFIAP, hence analyzing the documental content and the legislation related to institutionalization as well as the positioning of professors/coordinators and of the director of CAPES/MEC. Considering this axioms, it was concluded that the bureaucratic structures can admit ODL in the stricto sensu s environment. However, this can only be done as long as the adherence does not imply in a dilution of the traditional forms of power and institutional bureaucratic inherited dominance, as well as the alleged hegemony of the governmental structure in the educational administration adopted in person by the stricto sensu courses in Brazil

Implementação de software livre na administração pública: um estudo de múltiplos casos no Estado do Rio Grande do Norte

New technologies appear each moment and its use can result in countless benefits for that they directly use and for all the society as well. In this direction, the State also can use the technologies of the information and communication to improve the level of rendering of services to the citizens, to give more quality of life to the society and to optimize the public expense, centering it in the main necessities. For this, it has many research on politics of Electronic Government (e-Gov) and its main effect for the citizen and the society as a whole. This research studies the concept of Electronic Government and wishes to understand the process of implementation of Free Softwares in the agencies of the Direct Administration in the Rio Grande do Norte. Moreover, it deepens the analysis to identify if its implantation results in reduction of cost for the state treasury and intends to identify the Free Software participation in the Administration and the bases of the politics of Electronic Government in this State. Through qualitative interviews with technologies coordinators and managers in 3 State Secretaries it could be raised the ways that come being trod for the Government in order to endow the State with technological capacity. It was perceived that the Rio Grande do Norte still is an immature State in relation to practical of electronic government (e-Gov) and with Free Softwares, where few agencies have factual and viable initiatives in this area. It still lacks of a strategical definition of the paper of Technology and more investments in infrastructure of staff and equipment. One also observed advances as the creation of the normative agency, the CETIC (State Advice of Technology of the Information and Communication), the Managing Plan of Technology that provide a necessary diagnosis with the situation how much Technology in the State and considered diverse goals for the area, the accomplishment of a course of after-graduation for managers of Technology and the training in BrOffice (OppenOffice) for 1120 public servers

Cargos comissionados da administração pública direta do Rio Grande do Norte: análise comparativa entre o perfil profissional dos cargos comissionados com vínculo funcional e sem vínculo funcional

The professional profile of public administrators in Brazil is changing very rapidly in recent years, seeking to meet the principle of efficiency by public agencies at all levels. The admission of the permanent government employee under the Public Administration is by competition, however, commissioned positions are free appointment of managers, which allows effective participation of external experts according to their respective standards and norms. In this context, this dissertation seeks to understand the main characteristics of the profile of the occupants of commissioned positions in Direct Public Administration of the State of Rio Grande do Norte, noting the differences between those with functional link with the have nots. For this study, by data collection and content analysis, a mapping of the administrative structure of the Government of the State of Rio Grande do Norte was done, i.e., the organization of the Executive Branch, which is regulated by the Complementary Law no. 163/1999 and its amendments, which consists of 53 (fifty three) entities, these 29 (twenty nine) are agencies of the direct administration and the remaining 24 (twenty four) comprises the indirect administration. With the collected data, analysis on the number of commissioned positions of each organ of the State of Rio Grande do Norte and information on education, age, length of service, gender and functional link with the direct administration was carried out. Data were available from SEARH in June/2013, when they totaled 58,733 (fifty-eight thousand seven hundred thirty-three) servers, these 2.15% (two point fifteen percent) occupy commissioned positions, corresponding to 1,262 commissioned positions under the Direct Administration, below the national average of 4% (four percent). Of total commissioned positions 64.7% (sixty-four point seven percent) have no functional link with the direct administration, while only 35.3% (thirty -five point three percent) have functional link. It was noticed that there are no clear and specific criteria for the appointments of commissioned positions in the State. They occur freely, as provided in the State Constitution. Another conclusion is the importance of Public Administration define and improve their capacity, competence and efficiency in the delivery of public services. For that it is necessary to invest in their workforce composed of permanent employees and commissioned positions to define the appropriate professional profile

Implementação de software livre na administração pública: um estudo de múltiplos casos no Estado do Rio Grande do Norte

New technologies appear each moment and its use can result in countless benefits for that they directly use and for all the society as well. In this direction, the State also can use the technologies of the information and communication to improve the level of rendering of services to the citizens, to give more quality of life to the society and to optimize the public expense, centering it in the main necessities. For this, it has many research on politics of Electronic Government (e-Gov) and its main effect for the citizen and the society as a whole. This research studies the concept of Electronic Government and wishes to understand the process of implementation of Free Softwares in the agencies of the Direct Administration in the Rio Grande do Norte. Moreover, it deepens the analysis to identify if its implantation results in reduction of cost for the state treasury and intends to identify the Free Software participation in the Administration and the bases of the politics of Electronic Government in this State. Through qualitative interviews with technologies coordinators and managers in 3 State Secretaries it could be raised the ways that come being trod for the Government in order to endow the State with technological capacity. It was perceived that the Rio Grande do Norte still is an immature State in relation to practical of electronic government (e-Gov) and with Free Softwares, where few agencies have factual and viable initiatives in this area. It still lacks of a strategical definition of the paper of Technology and more investments in infrastructure of staff and equipment. One also observed advances as the creation of the normative agency, the CETIC (State Advice of Technology of the Information and Communication), the Managing Plan of Technology that provide a necessary diagnosis with the situation how much Technology in the State and considered diverse goals for the area, the accomplishment of a course of after-graduation for managers of Technology and the training in BrOffice (OppenOffice) for 1120 public servers

Assédio moral na administração pública e a responsabilidade civil do estado

The social and economic changes of the last decades have enhanced the dehumanization of labor relations and the deterioration of the work environment, by the adoption of management models that foster competitiveness and maximum productivity, making it susceptible to the practice of workplace bullying. Also called mobbing, bullying can occur through actions, omissions, gestures, words, writings, always with the intention of attacking the self-esteem of the victim and destroy it psychologically. In the public sector, where relations based on hierarchy prevail, and where the functional stability makes it difficult to punish the aggressor, bullying reaches more serious connotations, with severe consequences to the victim. The Federal Constitution of 1988, by inserting the Human Dignity as a fundamental principle of the Republic, the ruler of the entire legal system, sought the enforcement of fundamental rights, through the protection of honor and image of the individual, and ensuring reparation for moral and material damage resulting from its violation. Therefore, easy to conclude that the practice of moral violence violates fundamental rights of individuals, notably the employee's personality rights. This paper therefore seeked to analyze the phenomenon of bullying in the workplace, with emphasis on the harassment practiced in the public sector as well as the possibility of state liability for harassment committed by its agents. From a theoretical and descriptive methodology, this work intended to study the constitutional, infra and international rules that protect workers against this practice, emphasizing on the fundamental rights violated. With this research, it was found that doctrine and jurisprudence converge to the possibility of state objective liability for damage caused by its agents harassers, not forgetting the possibility of regressive action against the responsible agent, as well as its criminal and administrative accountability.

A estrutura de poder tradicional no stricto sensu: o caso do mestrado profissional em Administração Pública em Rede Nacional - PROFIAP

This study approaches bureaucratic organizational structures with the aim to understand the adherence procedure to virtual technologies in the stricto sensu educational administrative process. Thus, the author navigates through the formation of these organizations in Brazil with the intent to demonstrate the bureaucratic organizational culture and the consequent form of domination of those who detain power. In this epistemological construction, the author explores the culture s bureaucratic environment and the organizational power. In the analyses, it was observed the technological phenomenon in the ODL s administrative environment, which can explain the adherence procedure to structures and technological instruments for stricto sensu courses that, hypothetically, dilutes the traditional inherited organizational axiom. Therefore, it was utilized as object of study the Professional Master s degree in National Scale Public Administration PROFIAP, hence analyzing the documental content and the legislation related to institutionalization as well as the positioning of professors/coordinators and of the director of CAPES/MEC. Considering this axioms, it was concluded that the bureaucratic structures can admit ODL in the stricto sensu s environment. However, this can only be done as long as the adherence does not imply in a dilution of the traditional forms of power and institutional bureaucratic inherited dominance, as well as the alleged hegemony of the governmental structure in the educational administration adopted in person by the stricto sensu courses in Brazil

Aspectos constitucionais da anulação de decisão definitiva da administração pública federal no processo tributário

Cet article traite de la possibilité de proposer le Trésor à la justice pour annuler une décision administrative définitive sur les questions fiscales. Il s'agit d'un sujet qui s'oppose au principe de la vérité matérielle - qui doit prévaloir en cas d'impôt - avec une certitude morale représentée par la chose jugée administrative. Commence par le processus administratif d'impôt comme une garantie constitutionnelle du contribuable, insérée dans le panorama d une compétence adoptée dans la législation brésilienne en tant que pilier de l'Etat de droit démocratique. Met l'accent sur la position du Trésor avant l'autorité de la chose jugée administrative, ce qui démontre la fragilité de La décision finale sur les questions fiscales. Décrit les effets de la révision (ou de l'annulation) dês actes administratifs, en particulier la libération de l'impôt et de la décision administrative qui vise à le confirmer. Enfin, nous discuterons de la composition et la légitimité du contentieux administratif, en conclusion, avec le soutien de la prévalence d'un fait important dans le cãs d'impôt, est non seulement possible, mais le Trésor devrait examiner leurs propres actions si nécessaire

Praias urbanas e racionalidade ambiental: avaliação da gestão, das intervenções urbanísticas e dos usos na praia de ponta negra

This dissertation addresses issues considered essential for sustainable development of urban waterfronts and beaches. Many of these spaces, even though they are of public authorities, economic market and general population interests - due to its landscape, its importance for recreation purposes and as a basis of " Sun and beach Tourism " (Turismo de Sol e Praia), among other factors - have shown aesthetic, health and cultural degradation, entailing environmental, economic and social losses and conflicts. Based on this perception, the research aims to understand the main reasons for these negative results for beach spaces. To this end, it was chosen the case study of a typical urban beach, Ponta Negra Beach, located in Natal, RN. Ponta Negra is associated with the "postcard" of the city and it has been deserving of municipal urban planning legislation that legally recognizes the importance of its landscape. Also it has received constant investments by the Government through urban projects, arguing to leave the site attractive to its users. Nevertheless, in the last fifteen years, the beach has lived with the expansion of its problems, such as those related to bathing water, to coastal erosion, and to the mangling of its natural surroundings. Social conflicts have also been frequent in this time frame: conflicts between residents of the waterfront and traders who work on the beach, between the traders themselves, between the managers of space and fishermen, between managers and formal and informal traders. Many of these social and environmental conflicts have taken such grand proportions that became legal matters. Assuming that the problems identified are related to the issue of rationality - understood as a system of values, norms and actions that relate means and ends - and upholding the need for focused research on "environmental rationality" to understand and interpret the dynamics of social and environmental problems encountered on site, the research that guides the study relies on the Mexican economist Enrique Leff's theory on "environmental rationality" which, briefly, can be defined as a system of values, norms, actions and means and ends relations based on the principles of environmental management and sustainable development. Among other aspects, rationality encompasses cross-sectional planning of public administration, the participation of society in the management of environmental resources, interdisciplinary reorganization of knowledge, the clash of opposing interests and the conciliation of common goals of different social actors. The study evaluates the relationship between "environmental rationality", as proposed by Enrique Leff, with the management, urban interventions and uses observed in Ponta Negra Beach. For that, some benchmarks were established and considered in the research as related to sustainable development of the "beachy" atmosphere. Analytical instruments chosen were the urban transformations and the environmental and social problems that have been the target of lawsuits. Also part of the study, the problems that were the subject of civil investigations, which are investigation procedures carried out by the Prosecutor's Office.

Praias urbanas e racionalidade ambiental: avaliação da gestão, das intervenções urbanísticas e dos usos na praia de ponta negra

This dissertation addresses issues considered essential for sustainable development of urban waterfronts and beaches. Many of these spaces, even though they are of public authorities, economic market and general population interests - due to its landscape, its importance for recreation purposes and as a basis of " Sun and beach Tourism " (Turismo de Sol e Praia), among other factors - have shown aesthetic, health and cultural degradation, entailing environmental, economic and social losses and conflicts. Based on this perception, the research aims to understand the main reasons for these negative results for beach spaces. To this end, it was chosen the case study of a typical urban beach, Ponta Negra Beach, located in Natal, RN. Ponta Negra is associated with the "postcard" of the city and it has been deserving of municipal urban planning legislation that legally recognizes the importance of its landscape. Also it has received constant investments by the Government through urban projects, arguing to leave the site attractive to its users. Nevertheless, in the last fifteen years, the beach has lived with the expansion of its problems, such as those related to bathing water, to coastal erosion, and to the mangling of its natural surroundings. Social conflicts have also been frequent in this time frame: conflicts between residents of the waterfront and traders who work on the beach, between the traders themselves, between the managers of space and fishermen, between managers and formal and informal traders. Many of these social and environmental conflicts have taken such grand proportions that became legal matters. Assuming that the problems identified are related to the issue of rationality - understood as a system of values, norms and actions that relate means and ends - and upholding the need for focused research on "environmental rationality" to understand and interpret the dynamics of social and environmental problems encountered on site, the research that guides the study relies on the Mexican economist Enrique Leff's theory on "environmental rationality" which, briefly, can be defined as a system of values, norms, actions and means and ends relations based on the principles of environmental management and sustainable development. Among other aspects, rationality encompasses cross-sectional planning of public administration, the participation of society in the management of environmental resources, interdisciplinary reorganization of knowledge, the clash of opposing interests and the conciliation of common goals of different social actors. The study evaluates the relationship between "environmental rationality", as proposed by Enrique Leff, with the management, urban interventions and uses observed in Ponta Negra Beach. For that, some benchmarks were established and considered in the research as related to sustainable development of the "beachy" atmosphere. Analytical instruments chosen were the urban transformations and the environmental and social problems that have been the target of lawsuits. Also part of the study, the problems that were the subject of civil investigations, which are investigation procedures carried out by the Prosecutor's Office.

Desenvolvimento e implantação de um sistema de gestão de pedidos de informação endereçados à Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte a partir do serviço de informações ao cidadão (E-SIC)

Among the numerous policy changes that the world has experienced in recent years, occupies a prominent place in the quest for greater transparency of public agencies. Transparency has been an important tool in the accountability of the State to promote greater participation of the society by providing information that was previously restricted knowledge of public agencies. Brazil, following this trend, promulgated in May 2012 the Access to Information Act that seeks to disclose the actions of the State at all levels, in all public administration agencies. On the same day of the enactment of the law is provided society with a site that is empowering citizens to make their requests for information to government agencies. The Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, which at that time had no a tool to assist them in managing this demand. This project has the objective to describe, build and implement a solution to solve this problem using Design Science Research as methodology. As result, the solution built in this research became a new module of the institution s ERP became it capable to control the entire process, and will be helpful to others partners which use our system ERP

Fatores de longevidade do programa Central do Cidadão no Rio Grande do Norte

The public management reform in Brazil, since 1995, provoked new experiences in public administration. Among the new models of public service the one-stop shopping has distinguished and was adopted at Rio Grande do Norte with the Citizens Center Program. The one-stop shopping assembles in the same place many public services with appropriate structure, enabled human resources and citizens focus processes. The goal of this research was understand how citizens focus processes help to explain Citizens Center Program s longevity. It was made a case study and the research tools were applied with Citizen Center Programs workers and citizen-users at South Unit of Citizen Center Program placed at Via Direta Mall, Natal. The major contributions for Citizen Center Program s longevity were imputed to Basic Operation Processes. The most spoken features in Citizen Center Program mentioned were quality, efficiency, celerity e personal appearance, what demonstrate concern and care with citizen-users. Worker s personal appearance, accommodation, celerity, politeness and attending capacity planning were high evaluated by citizen-users revealing the wisely choice of use a large quality concept and citizenship concept in public administration. Citizen-users also pointed the necessity of refine and enlarge the communication ways that form an essential mechanism to public citizen focus administration. Not ignoring the policy aspect citizen focus processes were noticed like especial management actions that make easier citizen s activities and public service access, what generate satisfaction to citizen-users. It s possible to conclude that the high level approving evaluation of Citizen Center Program consolidates it an especial public policy that serves citizen s necessities e create appropriate legitimacy conditions of the public policy making harder the choice of ending the policy even in more fragile moments strongly contributing for its longevity

Fatores de longevidade do programa Central do Cidadão no Rio Grande do Norte

The public management reform in Brazil, since 1995, provoked new experiences in public administration. Among the new models of public service the one-stop shopping has distinguished and was adopted at Rio Grande do Norte with the Citizens Center Program. The one-stop shopping assembles in the same place many public services with appropriate structure, enabled human resources and citizens focus processes. The goal of this research was understand how citizens focus processes help to explain Citizens Center Program s longevity. It was made a case study and the research tools were applied with Citizen Center Programs workers and citizen-users at South Unit of Citizen Center Program placed at Via Direta Mall, Natal. The major contributions for Citizen Center Program s longevity were imputed to Basic Operation Processes. The most spoken features in Citizen Center Program mentioned were quality, efficiency, celerity e personal appearance, what demonstrate concern and care with citizen-users. Worker s personal appearance, accommodation, celerity, politeness and attending capacity planning were high evaluated by citizen-users revealing the wisely choice of use a large quality concept and citizenship concept in public administration. Citizen-users also pointed the necessity of refine and enlarge the communication ways that form an essential mechanism to public citizen focus administration. Not ignoring the policy aspect citizen focus processes were noticed like especial management actions that make easier citizen s activities and public service access, what generate satisfaction to citizen-users. It s possible to conclude that the high level approving evaluation of Citizen Center Program consolidates it an especial public policy that serves citizen s necessities e create appropriate legitimacy conditions of the public policy making harder the choice of ending the policy even in more fragile moments strongly contributing for its longevity

Cooperação e competição entre políticas no Brasil: os cursos da governabilidade no presidencialismo da catalização

Public policies have been studied in the various fields of humanities and social sciences, from different theoretical and technical aspects. However, there is still a lack of studies that incorporate the dimension that encompasses the political action and its interference in such actions, also recognizing the importance of the institutional setting of the Brazilian presidential model in implementing these policies. This fragmented and multiparty system has led to power heterogeneous sets of political parties. Thus, the ministerial offices, more than assisting the President´s government project, manage particularized agendas, which are party biased and have the influence of interest groups in hegemonic themes addressed by government agencies. When these agendas operate in sectoral and specialized policies, the friction level is apparently low. However, when this occurs in intersectoral actions, such as in regional development, there is evidence of strong signs of competition among government agencies, which in theory, should operate in an integrated manner. Although this is not a specific feature of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva´s government- the period to be studied- there was similar behavior in Fernando Henrique Cardoso´s presidency, one realizes that the expansion of coalition on behalf of governance is increasingly interfering in the outcome of intersectoral public policies, due to these multiple arguments in action. In order to understand these processes, this study focused on the Sustainable and Integrated Development Programme for Differentiated Meso-Regions (PROMESO), part of the National Policy for Regional Development (NPRD). The program provides interface with various government agencies and their public policies in a clear intersectoral design. The research sought to identify and analyze the relationships between government agencies and their programs with interest groups, whether political parties or other segments of civil society, highlighting the logic of favoritism, which poses in second place the integration of actions in the intersectoral policies. Therefore, besides the theoretical debate that incorporates several categories of political science, public administration, public policy, geography and economics, the study focused on secondary sources, using different government agencies databases in order to raise information. It was observed that the interference of partisan politics has been disastrous for some public policies. Thus, the research confirms that cooperative character is fragile within government agencies, often limited to official documents, and that there is indeed, a striking feature of competition, especially when it comes to transversalized policies