LEVEL OF TRANSPARENCY IN THE MUNICIPALITIES
OF THE STATE OF ESPÍRITO SANTO: ANALYSIS FROM A MULTIDIMENSIONAL PERSPECTIVE
Name: RODRIGO SANTOS DA MATA
Publication date: 11/08/2023
Examining board:
Name |
Role |
|---|---|
| RAFAEL DE LACERDA MOREIRA | Advisor |
Summary: This study starts from the understanding that public transparency is essential for promoting
democracy and ensuring access to information for the population, as well as enhancing
governance, preventing corruption, ensuring the legitimacy of government actions, and
improving efficiency. In this regard, the general objective of the research is to provide a
comprehensive framework of transparency in the municipalities of the state of Espírito Santo,
comparing them through a multidimensional analysis based on the analytical perspectives of
Zuccolotto et al. (2015) and the analytical dimensions of the Transparency and Public
Governance Index (ITGP) of Transparency International Brazil (TI-Brazil). The theoretical
foundation of this research addresses the conceptual links between transparency and
democracy, highlighting how transparency can strengthen democratic principles by ensuring
accountability, citizen participation, and trust in institutions. Additionally, classifications,
perspectives, and dimensions of transparency are discussed, considering different theoretical
and conceptual approaches that seek to categorize and understand transparency in its various
forms, from informational transparency to procedural and institutional transparency. An
overview of public transparency in Brazil is also presented, indicating the advances and
challenges faced by the country in this field. The methodology adopted in this study is
innovative, combining different analytical perspectives of transparency, such as accounting,
budgetary, institutional, and media, among others. Furthermore, a mixed methods approach is
utilized, involving cluster analysis and semi-structured interviews. Cluster analysis is
employed to group municipalities with similar transparency characteristics, while semistructured interviews are conducted with professionals working in the Municipal
Comptroller's Office or equivalent body to obtain insights into public transparency. The main
results of this research reveal the existence of six distinct groups of municipalities in Espírito
Santo, each with different levels and characteristics of transparency. The results also highlight
the influence of the political context on the promotion of transparency. In turn, the interviews
revealed that municipalities have been making efforts to provide information to citizens,
mainly through official websites, but gaps in the effectiveness of these measures were
identified, particularly related to the lack of systematic monitoring and evaluation. The
participation of citizens in the governance process was also addressed, highlighting the need
for greater engagement of civil society. The conclusions of this study emphasize the
importance of future research to deepen the understanding of transparency in the
municipalities of Espírito Santo and develop more effective policies and strategies to
strengthen transparency and governance at the municipal level. It is recommended that public
authorities and municipal managers use the results of this research as a basis for identifying
areas for improvement and adopting specific measures to enhance transparency in their
respective municipalities, such as implementing e-government policies, reinforcing
compliance with transparency regulations, and investing in capacity building and
professionalization of management.
