Performance evaluation

an efficiency tool for public administration?

Abstract

This monograph analyzes performance evaluation as an instrument for implementing the constitutional principle of efficiency in Brazilian Public Administration. The central objective is to examine whether the periodic performance assessment provided for in Article 41, §1, III, of the Federal Constitution of 1988 – as amended by Constitutional Amendment No. 19/1998 – constitutes an effective tool for promoting administrative efficiency, or whether, given the existing regulatory gaps and structural barriers, it remains an institute of limited applicability. A bibliographic and documentary study was conducted, analyzing administrative law doctrine, relevant federal and state legislation, and jurisprudence from the Superior Courts. The results demonstrate that, although the Administrative Reform represented a significant advance in the pursuit of a results-oriented public service, the absence of a federal supplementary law, combined with the persistence of subjective evaluation criteria and weak control mechanisms, undermines the legitimacy and effectiveness of the institute. It is concluded that administrative efficiency is only compatible with the constitutional guarantee of job stability when performance evaluation is structured with objective, transparent, and pre-defined criteria, ensuring due process and the right to a full defense.