Banca de DEFESA: KEIKO CAROLINA MORAES SASAKI DE LUCENA

Uma banca de DEFESA de DOUTORADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : KEIKO CAROLINA MORAES SASAKI DE LUCENA
DATE: 06/02/2024
TIME: 09:00
LOCAL: REMOTA
TITLE:

Repercussions of the merger of for-profit private higher education groups for institutional academic quality. 

 

KEY WORDS:

Higher Education. Merger and Acquisition. Quality Indicators.

PAGES: 248
BIG AREA: Ciências Humanas
AREA: Educação
SUBÁREA: Planejamento e Avaliação Educacional
SPECIALTY: Planejamento Educacional
SUMMARY:

The present work questioned how official indicators can show the relationship between economic operations of mergers/acquisitions and academic and institutional quality. The analysis focused on the Bachelor's Degree in Pedagogy during the period that marks the largest merger ever in Brazil between the Anhanguera and Kroton (Cogna) groups. Theoretically, the analysis is grounded in the contributions of authors such as: Verhine (2010, 2022, 2023); Verhine & Dantas (2003, 2006, 2020, 2021); Ruas (2015); Morosoni (1999, 2001, 2008, 2009, 2014, 2016, 2017); Cunha (2017); Souza (2017); Santos (2010); Sampaio (2000, 2009, 2011); Oliveira (2009); Sguissardi (2008); Sobrinho (2000, 2003); Chaves (2010); CM Consultoria (2015); Hoper Consultoria (2021); Coelho (2023); Marques (2013); Dante (2014); CADE (2016); among others who problematized discussions about quality in higher education, expansion and privatization of higher education, mergers and acquisitions in this segment, as well as public policies that supported these processes. Throughout the period analyzed in the research, it was evident that economic activities prioritized the search for operational efficiency. Furthermore, the efforts for expansion and market consolidation had a direct impact on academic quality with results below the acceptable standard by regulatory instruments. Scott's (2014) Neoinstitutional Theory was used as a perspective for data analysis. This theory examines how educational institutions are shaped by the norms and practices of the environment in which they are inserted. It considers mergers as phenomena influenced by various institutional forces, including cultural norms and values, regulatory pressures, competitive pressures, and the phenomenon of isomorphism. The research indicates that after a merger process, the consolidating group seeks to increase the speed of creation and incorporation of a new culture, and isomorphism ceases to be a process to become part of the organizational strategy. The methodology employs a mixed-methods approach, integrating qualitative and quantitative techniques for a more comprehensive analysis. It includes a case study on the largest economic group in the sector, exploratory research, documentary survey of the Anhanguera and Kroton groups, use of quality indicators from INEP/MEC, as well as the creation of a Business Intelligence (BI) for pre and post-merger comparative analyses. The results indicated that mergers, although initially guided by economic and administrative objectives, end up being shaped and restricted by broader institutional forces following mimetic isomorphism. This manifests in how the merged institutions adapt (or not) to the expectations of quality and academic excellence, which are an integral part of the educational environment. Despite the latent coercive and normative isomorphism in these processes, a decline in institutional results after the mergers was found, indicating prioritization of operational efficiency and market expansion as a practice incompatible with the quality policy normatized by SINAES. In the final analysis, the results, seen through the lens of Neoinstitutional Theory, suggest that mergers in higher education should be carefully monitored. This highlights the need for regulatory policies and governance practices that ensure minimum quality standards, thereby safeguarding the social commitment of Brazilian higher education.

 

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Presidente - ***.358.565-** - ROBERT EVAN VERHINE - UFBA
Externa à Instituição - LYS MARIA VINHAES DANTAS - UFRB
Externo à Instituição - ANTONIO DE MACEDO MOTA JUNIOR - UEFS
Externa à Instituição - NADIA HAGE FIALHO - UNEB
Externo à Instituição - JORGE LUIZ LORDELO DE SALES RIBEIRO - UFBA
Externa à Instituição - DORA LEAL ROSA - UFBA