The Institutionalization of the Integrity Program at a Federal University
compliance programs, institutionalization, university.
This dissertation examines the implementation of public integrity programs, with a focus on the University of Brasília. These programs comprise a set of procedures aimed at ensuring compliance with legal norms, promoting risk management, enhancing transparency, and sustaining ethical conduct that prioritizes the public interest over personal gain. The central objective of the research was to analyze the current stage of institutionalization of the university's integrity program, considering that the effectiveness and efficiency of such programs depend on the internalization of their principles within the organizational culture. The study is grounded in institutional theory, particularly the three-phase model proposed by Tolbert and Zucker (1999)—habitualization, objectification, and sedimentation. Methodologically, a qualitative case study approach was adopted, combining document analysis and semi-structured interviews. The data were examined using Bardin’s (2020) content analysis technique. The results indicate that although the program has reached the stage of habitualization, it faces significant challenges in advancing to objectification and remains far from achieving sedimentation. These limitations are largely due to inconsistent support from senior management, communication failures, budgetary constraints, and an organizational culture that is not yet fully aligned with the program's values. As a technical-technological product, this dissertation proposes a consultancy project aimed at strengthening senior management engagement, improving communication strategies, optimizing resource allocation, and fostering an ethical culture conducive to advancing the institutionalization of the integrity program.