Sectorial factors and their influence on private higher education in Brazil: a multicase study in seven higher education institutions/Fatores setoriais e sua influencia na educacao superior privada do Brasil: um estudo multicaso em sete instituicoes de ensino superior/Factores sectoriales y su influencia en la educación superior privada en Brasil: un estudio de múltiples casos en siete instituciones de educación superior

The private sector of education has been increasing its participation in Brazilian higher education. Between 1997 and 2007, the respective sector grew 394%, which represents an average of 17.30% per annum. However, from the year 2008 it can be seen that this expansion cycle came to an end, as the growth has stagnated in most reasonable rates around 3%, creating more challenges and the need of professionalization of the sector (HOPER, 2009). From this scenario, this work proposes to conduct a study of sectorial factors that influence private higher education in Brazil, in order to provide data and information for decision making by the government, maintainers groups, institutions maintained, and the whole community. For this, we conducted an exploratory study, of qualitative nature, by means of bibliographic data collection and interviews with managers from seven private higher education institutions nationally recognized. The results showed that there is a strong influence of the sectorial factors in private institutions of higher education, which should then monitor them properly. The executives interviewed highlighted the importance of these factors, which can turn into big enemies or powerful allies, in a scenario ever more challenging and competitive. Keywords: Competitiveness; Sectorial Factors, Structural Factors, Higher Education, Private Higher Education. O setor privado de educacao vem adquirindo crescente participacao no ensino superior brasileiro. Entre os anos de 1997 e 2007, o respectivo setor cresceu 394%, o que representa uma media de 17,30% ao ano. Entretanto, a partir do ano 2008, pode ser constatado que esse ciclo de expansao elevada chegou ao fim, pois o crescimento se deu mediante taxas mais razoaveis, em torno de 3%, gerando maiores desafios e a necessidade de profissionalizacao empresarial no setor (HOPER, 2009). A partir deste cenario, o presente trabalho objetiva a realizar um estudo dos fatores setoriais que influenciam a educacao superior no Brasil, no sentido de fornecer dados e informacoes para a tomada de decisoes por parte do governo, mantenedoras e mantidas. Para tanto, foi realizado um estudo exploratorio, de carater qualitativo, por meio de coleta de dados bibliograficos e entrevista com gestores de sete instituicoes de ensino superior privadas nacionalmente reconhecidas. Os resultados apontaram que ha uma forte influencia dos fatores setoriais nas instituicoes privadas de ensino superior, que devem entao monitora-los adequ