For an orientation toward the societal impact of graduate studies in administration in Brazil

Abstract

Abstract This essay analyzes the challenges of graduate programs in administration in Brazil, considering mainly the challenges of the early 2020s, marked by changes in the assessments put forward by the Brazilian agency CAPES and the perspectives of a career in the field. Some of the most relevant facts that occurred from 2000 to 2020 were considered, indicating the need for changes in the education priorities, from a focus based on rigor in research to a focus on practical relevance. The reported situation and the intellectual debate on rigor and relevance led to two models: one oriented to scientific production and the other oriented to societal impact. When assuming the opportunity for a change toward the societal impact model, the study suggests updates in educational projects, research practices, knowledge dissemination channels, and research incentive policies.