Resources, innovation and performance in labor courts in Brazil

Marcos De Moraes Sousa,Tomas Aquino Guimaraes

doi:10.1590/0034-761220170045

Abstract

Abstract This article examines the relationships between resources, innovation, and performance in courts. Data from 24 Brazilian labor courts covering the period between 2003 and 2013 were used to develop theoretical/empirical models using Data Envelopment Analysis and stochastic frontier analysis. The results indicate that there was improvement in the performance of the courts during the period examined. This improvement owed more to the adoption of innovations than to variation in technical efficiency. Critical periods for the adoption of the electronic judicial process (in 2006 and 2012) had a negative impact on the index related to innovation adoption. The stochastic model shows that court size and investment in the training of personnel are key factors for explaining the variation in the efficiency of the courts.

Highlights

In the context of reforms of public administration, pressure has been put on public organizations to improve efficiency, by reducing budgets, raising expectations about the quality of services provided, and introducing performance-based management techniques (Boyne et al, 2005; Osborne and Gaebler, 1993)
The most important of these innovations are those supported by information and communication technologies (ICTs) and, the electronic judicial process
The objective of the study was to develop and validate theoretical and empirical models that explain the relationships between resources, innovation, and performance in the judiciary and to measure the performance of the labor courts through Malmquist indices and stochastic frontier analysis

Summary

Introduction

In the context of reforms of public administration, pressure has been put on public organizations to improve efficiency, by reducing budgets, raising expectations about the quality of services provided, and introducing performance-based management techniques (Boyne et al, 2005; Osborne and Gaebler, 1993). The study examines the attributes that may have an impact in the performance of Brazilian labour courts and contributes to knowlegde about judicial administration, providing evidence for improvement of the management of courts and the development of better policies for the judiciary. The judiciary attached to labor courts was chosen because it has the following relevant characteristics: shorter length of the judicial process (Dias Júnior, 2004) and; high level of innovation adoption (Costa, 2008)

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion