Implementação de políticas como processo social: agentes, estruturas, discurso e arenas de poder

The main objective of the review article is to identify the key concepts in policy implementation for public policy managers. To reach the objective, the chosen method is the conceptual literature review. The sampling process of the academic pieces to be reviewed is limited by the references presented in Hall and Taylor (1996), Hill and Hupe (2002), Barrett (2004), Saraiva and Ferrarezi (2006), and Bertelli (2012). The main research question that unifies all the academic pieces under review comes from the seminal study presented by Pressman e Wildavsky (1973), about why the policy results frequently differ from the objectives. As a guide to organize and filter the various theoretical approaches contained in the texts under review, the article drawsfrom the methodological debate proposed by Giddens (1979, 1984)about Agent (bureaucracy) and Structure (institutions), as well as fromtwo elements closely related to the structuration process, discourse(argumentation) and arenas of power (policy type). As results, thearticle identifies twenty-three core concepts for public policy managers.The final remarks recall the importance of teaching and debating theconcepts and theories of policy implementation to the democraticprocess in Brazil, as well as the challenge of learning from the experienceand practice.