O processo de aprendizagem organizacional transformadora: a construção de uma instituição de ensino superior sustentável

Abstract

Discussions on the sustainability approach are still an emerging topic that is far from being finalized. Actions aimed at understanding sustainability in a holistic way are necessary in all areas, especially when thinking about the role to be played in society by Higher Education Institutions. Therefore, this thesis aims to propose a framework for understanding organizational learning in Higher Education Institutions, in order to build a Sustainable Higher Education Institution. Therefore, a qualitative, exploratory and descriptive research was developed, based on multiple integrated cases. The analysis units involve the Ui GreenMetric – Word University Rankings and the Principles for Responsible Management Education, being the object of study seven public and private Higher Education Institutions, located in the Brazilian territory. The source of evidence was based on in-depth interviews and document analysis. In view of this, after data collection, these received treatment based on content analysis in conjunction with the analysis matrix. As results, it was evidenced that institutions, even with the difference between public and private, have similarities in facilitators and inhibitors before their advancement in organizational learning. No institution fits into Level 0 (Instrumental HEI), because based on the current reality, it is unacceptable that there is no movement towards sustainability, being responses to the emergence of external demands. At Level 1 (Conventional HEI) HEIs B, C and G were identified, which are in the niche, making slow movements with the intention of perpetuating a seed of sustainable change. At Level 2 (HEI Green) are the HEIs A, D and E, which reveal to be in an advanced space in terms of sustainability, residing in the regime so that there are already rules, regulations and values based on this differentiated logic. Furthermore, at Level 3 (Transforming HEI) it was noticed that HEI F is situated, so that it has characteristics common to what is desired in a transforming institution. However, this part of an ideal type that in empirical reality is not impeccably reproduced, in which sustainable construction in all processes requires a long-term pursuit. Because of this, HEI F is in the niche, in order to perpetuate what it has been building. Therefore, it was identified that a Transforming HEI is a philosophy of how to conduct and understand the organizational context, which must be mediated and built over time in a constant process of learning to relearn. Therefore, the study contributes in a managerial way to the area of administration and public management, so that it shows what are the facilitators and inhibitors that permeate the context of HEIs, given that management in many cases is not linked to technique, having as its main focus the teaching. Therefore, in order for there to be profound changes in the structure and in the way in which the teaching HEI understands the management process, there must be a commitment to issues related to sustainability.