Capacidade Absortiva no Setor Público: Análise da Produção Científica

Vitoria Dal Ri Pagani; Gabriela Silveira Gonçalves Fiates

doi:10.5020/2318-0722.2025.31.e16102

Authors

Vitoria Dal Ri Pagani Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7861-0840
Gabriela Silveira Gonçalves Fiates Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6533-7139

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5020/2318-0722.2025.31.e16102

Keywords:

absorptive capacity, public sector, literature review, scientific production

Abstract

This study analyzes the scientific production on absorptive capacity in the public sector, aiming to understand how this construct, originally developed in the context of private firms, has been adapted to public management, its specificities, and the main research gaps. Unlike the private sector, public management operates under non-market logics and institutional constraints, which pose challenges to the transfer of theoretical models primarily oriented toward competitive advantage. The research adopts a mixed-method approach, combining bibliometric analysis and a systematized literature review, which is suitable for investigating still incipient fields. Data were collected from Scielo, Scopus, and Web of Science databases, considering empirical articles published between 1990 and 2025. Initially, 205 studies were identified; after removing duplicates and applying eligibility criteria, 17 articles were selected for in-depth analysis. The results indicate a growing application of absorptive capacity in the public sector, especially linked to innovation, organizational performance, and the adoption of information systems—not to achieve competitive advantage, but to improve service delivery and support decision-making processes. There is a concentration on the early stages of the absorptive process (acquisition and assimilation), with less attention to transformation and exploitation phases. Furthermore, most studies adapt models from the private sector, with limited progress in developing approaches sensitive to the institutional specificities of public organizations. As a contribution, this study critically systematizes the field and highlights the need for theoretical models better aligned with the dynamics of the public sector.

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Author Biographies

Vitoria Dal Ri Pagani, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil

Ph.D. in Law from the State University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ). Ph.D. candidate in Business Administration at the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC). Master’s in Law and Master’s in Business Administration from UFSC. Specialist in Civil Law, Notarial and Registry Law (2016), and Civil Procedure (2018). Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from UFSC (2014), including a study abroad period at the Università degli Studi di Padova (UNIPD), Italy. Received the Academic Merit Award (Láurea Universitária) for achieving the highest GPA in her graduating class.

Gabriela Silveira Gonçalves Fiates, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil

Graduate in Mechanical Engineering from the Federal University of Santa Catarina (1991), Master's (1995) and PhD (2001) in Production Engineering also from the Federal University of Santa Catarina. She was a Professor and Researcher at the University of Southern Santa Catarina for 13 years, where she coordinated the Master's program in Business Administration from 2006 to 2011. Currently, she is an Associate Professor I at the Federal University of Santa Catarina in the Department of Administrative Sciences/CSE, where she teaches at the undergraduate level and in the Graduate Program in Business Administration. Additionally, she served as the Editor of the Revista Ciências da Administração (Journal of Administrative Sciences) from August 2016 to August 2019. Her work focuses on the area of innovation, mainly related to the following themes: strategies for change and innovation, organizational learning, and entrepreneurship. She coordinates NUPEI, the Research Center for Innovative Entrepreneurship. She also serves as a reviewer for journals, including major ones such as: RAC Eletrônica, RAUSP - Revista de Administração, RAE - Revista de Administração de Empresas, and O&S - Organizações & Sociedade.

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