Efficiency and productivity in the Federal Institutes of Education, Science and Technology of Brazil

Research purpose: This article analyzes the evolution of efficiency and productivity of public spending in the Federal Institutes of Education for Science and Technology (IFs) in Brazil in the period between 2010 and 2017, which incorporates the process of expansion of the federal network. Theoretical framework: This article is based on the frontier theory literature, which is based on nonparametric mathematical models to assess the efficiency of educational production units. Methodology: The sample consists of 263 observations, representative of the 38 IFs, distributed in an unbalanced panel. The data envelopment analysis method (DEA) and the Malmquist productivity index (IPM) were used, respectively, to measure the efficiency and productivity scores. Results: The results demonstrate that, throughout the process of expansion of the federal network, the IFs showed gains in efficiency and productivity, presenting an average increase of 13.7%, although part of the literature corroborates that, during the systems expansion processes educational institutions, the efficiency and quality of teaching exhibit a retractive behavior. Originality: This study differs from the others when analyzing efficiency and productivity in educational, professional, scientific and technological (EPCT) institutions, a gap still presents in national studies. It also investigates the evolution of the efficiency and productivity scores throughout the expansion process of the federal network. Theoretical and practical contributions: This study contributes to the literature while investigating the evolution of efficiency and productivity in the IFs, which presents several particularities - verticalization of teaching, selection of students with a multicampi structure, teaching-research-extension tripod - when compared to other institutions. From the perspective of management of EPCT institutions, this study identifies efficient institutions, evaluating the output/input management practices of public educational managers.