Resumo

The changes in the Welfare State occurred by this new institutional environment and the institution of Cooperative Intergovernmental Arrangements (CIA) are the main concern in this study. To do so, this study performed a comparison between the Brazilian public consortia and French EPCIs by conducting a multiple case study approach with the use of semi-structured in-depth interviews and access to different kinds of documents (studies, laws, specialized literature, and other sources such as personal notes taken during interviews).

We will conduct this research following seven steps after this introduction. First, we will define the research question by considering the methodological approach and idiosyncrasies of each country and its administrative systems. In the second section, we will use the Institutional and New Public Management theories review to derivate constructs. In the third section, we will explain the methodology applied during the research. Fourth, we will focus on the legal aspects of CIAs and their evolution. Fifth, it will apply the cross-analysis of the information in contrast to the constructs.

We will use Institutional and New Public Management theories review to derivate constructs.

The present study aims to develop analytical observational research with cross-sectional data. Nevertheless, it is still necessary to discuss some parts of the temporality and the study environment and define the research strategy's main elements.

Firstly, the study complements the academic literature by assuming NPM as a sub-topic of Institutionalism and making a direct comparison of cooperation among governments between the unitary state of France and the federative Brazilian state. Secondly, the study put light on a practical understanding of performance, as it analyses the institutional development of CIAs stressing the interviewed public managers' point o view. Lastly, the study points out managerial implications for Brazilian CIAs considering the learning curve in the French experience and the public policy agenda in the country.

Thus, the main contribution for institutional theory of this study shed light on the evident duality between cooperation and limitation of the scope of public services. These issues affect the performance directly and inherently the delivery of attached public services. As expected, the different degrees of cooperation produce different levels of performance because it's dependent on the scope of the given public service and the political autonomy of municipalities.

Diverse