Mudanças intraministeriais e gestão da coalizão : Brasil, 1990 a 2014

Abstract

This paper analyzes the changes in the internal structure of the ministries in the Brazilian Executive Branch between 1990 and 2014. Structural change means any process that culminates in the reorganization of the agencies at the second level of government, for example, creation, fusion, dismemberment, transfer of an agency from one ministry to another or to the presidency. The general argument is that in presidentialism of coalition, the president positions himself in a complex delegation network where he faces several agency costs and, to deal with this, has a toolbox to use. The literature points to some of these tools, however, the administrative power related to the structural dimension of the ministries is little explored. In this sense, the paper aims to contribute to this debate by addressing the following question: what factors influenced the structural changes in the ministries of the Brazilian executive in the years 1990 to 2014? Specifically, is administrative power a resource used by the president to deal with agency costs stemming from his relationship with coalition parties? Otherwise, what other factors may influence the president's decision to use such power. The longitudinal study is explanatory and uses a quantitative research approach. The results showed that the president cautiously uses his administrative power of agency design, strengthening the structures of the most salient ministries for his agenda and the more institutionalized ministries.