Repercussões da fusão de grupos educacionais de ensino superior privado com fins lucrativos para qualidade acadêmica institucional

Abstract

This study questioned the repercussions of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) involving private sector groups in Brazilian Higher Education on the academic quality of the institutions involved. The analysis focused on the Pedagogy Bachelor's degree during the period marking the largest merger ever to occur in Brazil between the ANHANGUERA and KROTON (COGNA) groups. The theoretical framework drew on the contributions of authors such as Verhine (2010, 2018, 2022, 2023); Verhine & Dantas (2003, 2006, 2020, 2021); Ruas (2015); Morosoni (1999, 2001, 2008, 2009, 2014, 2016, 2017); Cunha (2017); Souza (2017); Santos (2010); Sampaio (2000, 2009, 2011); Oliveira (2009) Sguissardi (2008); Dias Sobrinho (2000, 2003); Chaves (2010); CM Consultoria (2015); Hoper Consultoria (2021); Coelho (2023); Marques (2013); Dante (2014), CADE (2016), among others, who discussed issues related to quality in Higher Education, expansion and privatization of Higher Education, mergers and acquisitions in this sector, as well as public policies supporting these processes. Throughout the research period, it was evident that economic activities prioritized the pursuit of operational efficiency. Additionally, efforts to expand and consolidate the market had a direct impact on academic quality, resulting in outcomes below the acceptable standard set by regulatory instruments. Scott's Neo-institutional Theory (2014) was employed as a perspective for data analysis, examining how educational institutions are shaped by the norms and practices of their environment. It considers mergers as phenomena influenced by various institutional forces, including norms, cultural values, regulatory pressures, competition, and the isomorphism phenomenon. The research indicates that after a merger process, the consolidating group seeks to increase the speed of creating and incorporating a new culture, and isomorphism ceases to be a process and becomes part of the organizational strategy. The research methodology employs a quantitative approach for the analysis of the largest economic group in the sector, exploratory research, documentary research of the ANHANGUERA and KROTON groups, the use of quality indicators from INEP/MEC, as well as the creation of Business Intelligence (BI) for pre and post-merger comparative analyses. The results indicate that mergers, although initially driven by economic and administrative objectives, end up being shaped and constrained by broader institutional forces following mimetic isomorphism. This is manifested in how merged institutions adapt (or not) to expectations of quality and academic excellence, which are integral to the educational environment. Despite the latent coercive and normative isomorphism in these processes, a decline in institutional outcomes after mergers was observed, indicating a prioritization of operational efficiency and market expansion incompatible with the quality policy standardized by SINAES. Ultimately, the results, viewed through the lens of Neo-institutional Theory, suggest that mergers in Higher Education must be carefully monitored. This underscores the need for regulatory policies and governance practices that ensure minimum quality standards, thus safeguarding the social commitment of Brazilian Higher Education.