Since decades ago, management methodologies are adopted into public administration, inhaled in many private sector experiences.
A lot of them are ephemeral, opportunistic, fads that disappear as quickly emerged, often in dismal failure, costly consequences and harmful side effects rarely correctable; but, others are already consolidated, incorporated into the public administration routine, bring real benefits.
Last time Brazil has introduced quality and productivity program, management reform happens another day full of pomp and circumstance, now appears open government.
This one has historical, philosophical backgrounds: it comes from the ombudsman, in opposite to the old (we hope surpassed) state suffocating citizens, it represents an emblem of progress, freedom and consciousness, a important degree of citizenship, in the civilized world it´s an antidote to suspicious interests, it´s a favorite child of democracy.
Finally, openness of government to citizens is an indicator of willingness to fight corruption, is governability, institutional public governance.
The seed is information freedom, press sovereign, right of opinion, protection against excesses of authority, censorship replaced by the self responsibility to speak or act.
In a little while people wanted access to official institutions management issues, government actions have attracted attention, corruption scandals are headlines, occupy good spaces on TV, occasionally they became best sellers, some of them jump to the big screen.
So, when organizations have lost credibility and political consequences came, the game changed around prior disclosure in the media, advance information, pro-active managers, therefore, "the voice of the customer" inside the government was strong, independent ombudsmen shielded by meritocracy and respectability assumed users defense against abusive prerogatives of the state, sometimes complaints are transformed into betrayals, findings into criminal investigations.
Transparency doesn´t depends exclusively on sophisticated mechanisms and open government isn´t its technological expression, it needs information and communication support, but rather it can be realized in one simple desk, by spontaneous gesture of an public attendance or through authentic reliability of any level authorities.
The institutional framework is the relationship between public institutions and citizens. Here, the press plays a fundamental role, but each person deserves respect alone, demands must be guaranteed within the organization itself, eliminated acquiescence subject to the pre-judgment, deleted any bureaucratic barrier, eliminated all corporate stances and prevented authoritarian superiority.
Obama occupied the most coveted seat last year, put his pen and immediately ordered government agencies to open doors and data to the population.
The decision didn´t come from nothing, he saw the gap between government and society, he perceived that public opinion notes in the central government cultural traits of self-sufficiency, detached attitude of the popular will, official acts hidden under supposed confidentiality, lobbyists
protected by the law prioritizing things in damage of the majority, without any ethics.
In the campaign, he embraced social media, open a direct dialogue with voters even not sympathizers, captured live impressions, recorded in real-time reactions of people to his thinking, they are resonance boxes of their ideas. In government, he always refers to the contact with people without intermediaries, such as in the recent approval of the federal debt, communication battle, media struggle for the conquest of public opinion, for sure an eye on the presidential election.
For him, open government is transparency (disclosure of what is done), participation (public policies formulated outside to inside) and collaboration (between managers and with citizens), it has no structures or news employees, it´s an ideology. But it´s real: for example, the White House discloses its visitors unprecedentedly, which voices were heard there by official interlocutors.
The concept of open government is being defined in practice, without imposing dogmas or doctrines.
By principle, it´s citizen's access to information and documents (either personal or of public interest), to the procedures of public institutions, to services paid by taxes, it´s moral obligation linked to citizen´s rights, to citizenship.
Open government strengthens democracy, enhances credibility, subsequently increases management
effectiveness.
However, only results will prove the relationship between cause and effect, if actions adopted in consequence of the participation and cooperation of society brought measurable benefits. In USA´s emblematic government system, some find it redundant and excessive, those instruments of dialogue would sound unnecessary cause they already existed; most radical critics speaks around it as a masked electoral strategy, so the opposition would lose slogans and banners.
But it´s undeniable, open government was accepted by public opinion, mass media spreads its influences, it provokes strong promotional impact.
Nowadays, Brazil experiences unique moment, consolidated institutions, democracy as a popular value, government succeeded against international financial crisis (it arrives slowly, came weaker and it's going out), but business community wants public help to face global competitors, a recurrent line of defense.
We live repetitive cycles here: right now Council for Economic and Social Development (an presidential advisor instance) returns to its original purpose, public resources management is treated as priority as well, public authorities, leaders and managers absorbs fighting corruption as a non-transferable responsibility.
There´s neither perpetuation nor discontinuity, some strategies simply change their dresses because public environment works under political pressure, always, it´s natural.
Multilateral organizations consign citizenship rights as obligation in their formal agreements, we´re signatories to all of them, they´re essential for those who apply for seats in the privileged world forums, as Brazil demonstrates, but, at home, constitutional and legal instruments must be institutional safeguards, congressional scrutiny extracted from parliamentary debate and vote adds politic density to them, can better avoid circumstantial diversion routes.
Therefore, it´s welcome, correct and valid to join to Open Government Partnership (an USA idea of a worldwide alliance to promote submission of governments to the sacred interests of citizens), Brazil can naturally lead this process, but – side by side control procedures - educational, preventive and anticipatory approaches should be addressed domestically, our transparency, participation and accessibility to information model can suitable connect to open government strategy.
We dream, we want and we deserve to see the day comes when Brazilians haven´t to fill any application requesting what must be available automatically and without payment to them on public services. At this point, finally, will be implanted open government, transparent government or any another name, it doesn´t matter.
The challenge is set, things are walking, time is running.
(*) Free translation from article published in Revista Gestão Pública&Desenvolvimento, 2011 July edition, pages 32 to 33, available at http://www.revistagestaopublica.com.br/.
(**) Bezerra Magalhães Neto, João is (postal) administrator (PUC/RIO and UPIS/DF), has a post-graduate degree on quality management in public services (UNICAMP/SP), did many additional courses in Germany, Japan, Portugal, USA and England. He worked at executive, legislative and judiciary federal Institutions and state governments.
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