Policy Capacity: Um Conceito Polissêmico no Âmbito da Administração Pública

Abstract

Research objective:

This bibliographic paper aimed to analyze the policy capacity concept in two focus: research front and seminal intellectual basis.

Theoretical Framework:

The effective and quick response capability credits quality to public administration and, as a result, expands the agents' political capital, in view of the legitimacy achieved. Thus, the present paper is structured around the analysis of the concept of policy capacity. 

Methodology:

This research has a quantitative approach, based on bibliometric analysis of academic papers. Bibliographic data were extracted from the main collection of the Web of Science (WoS). VOSviewer and Iramutec were used for the bibliometric data analysis 

Results:

The results identified two focus-outcomes perspectives - firstly, the procedural and, second, the structural, both studied in several governmental instances, including in relation to intellectual bases of the three authors with more referenced papers. Furthermore, in relation to intellectual bases context, it was verified that the three most referenced authors have been giving focus on governance and its application, both delimited in procedural and structural aspects as well.   

Originality:

The study examines, as well as contextualizes, the manner in which policy capacity – a recurrent concept in the Public Administration agenda. The study offers insights, based on the elucidation of two macro perspectives convergence in relation to policy capacity failures and success. As a result, there is a contribution to polysemy reduction in relation to policy capacity, and, consequently, the results will better assist future studies. 

Theoretical and Practical Contributions:

The two aspects found as delimiting the policy capacity approach, the procedural and the structural, as the research fronts scope, as well as active intellectual bases are relevant concerning reducing existing polysemy around the concept.