STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT OF A SCIENTIFIC, TECHNOLOGICAL AND INNOVATION INSTITUTION BASED ON COMMON UNDERSTANDING AND ITS APPLICATION IN A CASE STUDY OF THE BRAZILIAN ARMY

Strategic alignment (SA) is essential for Scientific, Technological, and Innovation Institutions (STII) to achieve their organizational objectives and maximize the impact of their outcomes. From this perspective, the objective of this paper is to present a methodology for evaluating the SA of an STII, considering the shared understanding among all organizational members. For this purpose, the methodology classifies the institution's delivered outcomes into three distinct groups, according to their technological maturity levels. It also involves the design and application of structured questionnaires to assess both the shared understanding among organizational members regarding strategic objectives, organizational culture, and future vision, and the adherence of the codified outcomes to the strategic objectives of the institution. Based on this information, specific SA indices are calculated for each technological maturity group, and a global Strategic Alignment Index (SAI) is determined through a weighted average. The methodology is applied within the context of the graduate programs of the Military Institute of Engineering (IME), a corporate school of the Brazilian Army. The case study allowed for refinement of the methodology and highlighted the importance of effective strategic communication and direct involvement of top management throughout the evaluation process to achieve adequate levels of SA. Finally, the developed methodology provides theoretical contributions, by emphasizing the relevance of specific organizational approaches to strategic alignment, and practical contributions, by generating valuable information for the formulation of internal policies aimed at continuously enhancing the SA of an STII.