Sustainability in the Brazilian public sector and state run institutions of higher education: analysis of scientific production in national journals

Abstract

This study intends to analyze the development and identify the main characteristics of research works on sustainability in the Brazilian public sector and in public institutions of higher education.The quantitative approach was applied to perform descriptive study, using bibliometrics through the selection of articles that adressed the issue on Capes journals portal, from January 2010 to September 2019, which ones should contain any part of the text that corresponded to the exact words (either the female noun and male noun related to the term public in portuguese): sustainability and public administration; sustainability and the public sector; sustainability and public organizations; sustainability and public institution; sustainability and federal institution; sustainability and state institution; sustainability and municipal institution; sustainability and public education institution; sustainability and public education institution; sustainability and public university. Among the main results found, the following ones standed out: the institutions most analyzed in the articles were those of public higher education, which were demonstrated participation in half of the selected bibliographic portfolio; the theme of evaluation and development of sustainable awareness was the most discussed; 2019 tends to register a number below the annual average of publications for the period; most articles were developed in quartets; the journals with the largest number of publications were Qualis B2, with the Revista de Gestão Ambiental e da Sustentabilidade having the largest collection, and the institution with the largest number of publications being the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC).