CHANGES IN MANAGEMENT STRUCTURES AND INTERNAL PROCESSES: THE CASE OF THE WORKERS PARTY IN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE STATE OF RIO GRANDE DO SUL

Abstract

One of the most remarkable facts in the recent history of Brazilian politics is the ascension of the Workers Party, growth that is partly sustained in promises to bring about changes. If the Party’s ideals, based on social justice, inclusion, participation, among others, as well as its most wide-ranging proposals are well known, the same cannot be said about their internal management practices, as in the relationship of the leaders with the administrative structure represented by permanent servants. This scope includes, among others, professional valorization of civil servants, the treatment always in the margin of party positioning and engagement, ruled by equanimity and transparency of criteria, qualification programs, greater participation in public decision making, pro-job initiatives (by opposing to privatization and outsourcing of services), reduction in salary inequalities (through readjustments by categories instead of linear readjustments), all often disseminated as campaign promises. The issue raised is: would there be a set of internal management practices genuinely identified with the PT, and therefore differing from others? Is it possible to avoid bureaucracy canons, such as the managerial administration proposed in Bresser Pereira’s project of State Reformation? Are Divergences – tendencies – somehow projected in management practice? What does it mean to be "against all that is going on", having in focus the internal management practices? If this particular way of management does exist, would it being perceived by the "machine"? Would it be possible to compare it with the practices of the preceding management? To those, among other issues, this work attempts to bring answers. The research approach was basically quantitative, using a sample of servants in the Secretariat of Administration and Human Resources (SARH) of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, in 2002. Research findings suggest that, if it does exist, the set mentioned earlier is not unanimity among servants. In a certain extent the research, though focused, mirrors the situation presently faced by the PT in confrontation with the Federal Executive: it is not possible “to be against all that is going on”. In the least, the data collected recommend more caution to politicians in addressing promises to electors, having been identified structural and institutional issues that condition, if not limit, the rhythm and even the nature of the changes signaled from the electoral podium. On the other side, in this specific case, changes and differences verified were consistent with the discourse and promises of the Party.