The relevance of Information Management and information flow for public universities

an analysis of literature produced in the Dimensions database

Abstract

Introduction: Information plays a fundamental role in contemporary society, being essential for economic, social, and cultural development. In the public sector, Information Management seeks to ensure that data is administered effectively and efficiently, thereby enhancing governance quality; meanwhile, the analysis of information flow contributes to the delivery of quality services by enabling the evaluation of process stages and the identification of bottlenecks. In this context, it is important to understand how these topics are addressed within Brazilian public universities. Objective: To characterize the scientific output regarding Information Management and Information Flow in public universities. The study aimed to analyze the chronological evolution of publications and their categories, describe the authors' institutional affiliations and the journals involved in knowledge dissemination, and identify how the subject matter is approached in this context, considering research objectives and results. Methodology: This study employed a descriptive and bibliometric design based on quantitative and qualitative methods, using scientific output indexed in the Dimensions database between 2019 and 2023 as the corpus. The search strategy utilized the terms "Information Management," "Information Flow," and "Public Universities." Data were organized and analyzed with a focus on chronological trends, authors' institutional affiliations, and publication journals. Results: Findings indicate that the field remains underexplored, highlighting the need for expanded research on Information Management and Information Flow. Conclusion: It is concluded that these topics are strategic for university management, although challenges regarding the integration and optimization of information flows persist.