Corporate governance as a management rationality

tensions and limits for innovation in public universities

Abstract

This article analyzes the implications of corporate governance for innovation systems in public universities in the context of the financialization of capital. The objective is to examine how the incorporation of this concept, which originated in the private sector, redefines university management practices and affects academic autonomy. The analysis is based on the conception of corporate governance as a set of principles, mechanisms, and structures aimed at coordination, control, and decision-making, guided by criteria of efficiency, performance, and accountability. Methodologically, the study adopts a bibliographic and documentary approach, with a critical analysis of theoretical and normative references on governance, public administration, and innovation. The results indicate that, although corporate governance can strengthen the institutional capacity to articulate partnerships and promote innovation, its adoption tends to subordinate academic management to market rationalities, weakening university autonomy and creating tensions with the public character of the university.