Institucionalização do programa de empreendedorismo e inovação na UTFPR: um estudo de caso incorporado

Abstract

The institutionalization of university entrepreneurship programs is a complex phenomenon that articulates social, cultural, technological, political, and economic contexts. This dissertation investigated the institutionalization process of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program (Proem) across the campuses of the Federal University of Technology – Paraná (UTFPR) from 1997 to 2024. The aim was to identify the prescribed institutions, describe the application of the management model, and evaluate the evolution of its institutionalization. To this end, a qualitative research strategy was adopted using the embedded case study method. The Proem units on the Cornélio Procópio and Curitiba campuses were selected for convenience from among UTFPR’s 13 units. Data collection occurred in two stages: documentary research based predominantly on institutional documents, and semi-structured interviews conducted online via the Google Meet platform between October 2024 and February 2025. The data analysis employed thematic content analysis, applied to both the documents and the interviews. The investigation, grounded in the sociological perspective of institutional theory and the Triple Helix approach, revealed that Proem’s operations are aligned with the Triple Helix model’s logic and illustrate the institutional processes and pressures that occurred over time. Through thematic content analysis of secondary sources, two final categories were identified: interactions of institutional spheres and the institutionalization of Proem. The content analysis of primary sources identified three additional complementary categories: formal structures, complexities of practice, and networks of meaning. Understanding the institutionalization process allowed for the identification of Proem’s prescribed institutions. However, characteristics of means-ends decoupling and local adaptations were also identified. Through key decoupling concepts, it was possible to understand the logic of the impact chain within Proem. The identified type of decoupling indicates that effective changes occurred from the initial proposal, and its adoption generated distinct impacts in the two units investigated. Paradoxically, this same decoupling revealed itself as a mechanism for structural and behavioral change, driving the program’s diffusion and the progressive alignment of its routines. This study, therefore, invites reflection on the mechanisms of micro-foundations that permeate the institutionalization of entrepreneurship programs, offering insights for future research and for the management of innovation policies in higher education.