Evolution of
Ecuadorian public administration in the period 2020–2025: A review of the Latin
American scientific literature
Iván Bolívar Ruiz González [1]
ivan.ruiz@upec.edu.ec
Orcid: 0000-0002-3837-4708
Reception date: 01/12/2025
Acceptance date: 28/2/2026
Public administration plays a fundamental role in the functioning of the State, as it is responsible for implementing public policies, managing collective resources and guaranteeing the provision of services to citizens. In recent years, Ecuador has experienced institutional, economic and administrative transformations that have influenced the structure and performance of its public sector. In this context, the present study analyzes the evolution of Ecuadorian public administration between 2020 and 2025 through a systematic review of Latin American scientific literature. The research was conducted using the PRISMA 2020 methodological framework and the PISCO approach to structure the search and selection process. Scientific publications were identified in regional academic databases, particularly SciELO and Latindex. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, fifteen studies related to public administration, state management, public policy and institutional reforms in Ecuador were selected for the final analysis. The results reveal that the literature focuses mainly on five thematic areas: institutional transformations of the State, management of public enterprises and state assets, fiscal governance and public finance, transparency and regulatory frameworks, and administrative modernization through digitalization. The studies also highlight fiscal constraints, organizational challenges and debates about the role of the State in economic and administrative governance. In conclusion, the findings indicate that Ecuadorian public administration is undergoing a complex transition characterized by institutional restructuring, fiscal limitations and emerging modernization efforts aimed at improving transparency, efficiency and digital public services.
Keywords: public administration, state dismantling, Ecuador, public sector governance, institutional reforms
The public administration constitutes the
operational core of the State, since through it
government decisions have materialized, public policies are executed, and the
provision of goods and services aimed at collective well-being is guaranteed.
In the case of Ecuador, the study of its recent evolution acquires special
importance because, between 2020 and 2025, the country experienced political,
economic, institutional and technological transformations that directly
affected the way it manages the public. This period was marked by tensions
between fiscal sustainability, institutional reorganization, administrative
modernization, digitization of procedures, transparency in the public service
and redefinition of the role of public companies within the state apparatus.
Consequently, analyzing the evolution of Ecuadorian public administration
during this period not only allows us to understand regulatory and operational
changes, but also to identify the research trends that Latin American
literature has built around these transformations.
The
elaboration of this article is justified, in the first place, by the need to
systematize a scientific production that appears dispersed in different
thematic areas. Some studies focus on the political-institutional dimension of
the State, others on the management of public enterprises, others on
administrative transparency, others on the digitalization of procedures, and
others on the effects of certain public policies on the administrative
structure. This dispersion makes it difficult to build an articulated vision of
the evolution of Ecuadorian public administration in recent years. In this
sense, works such as those by Herrera et al. (2020) are relevant because they
place Ecuador within Latin American debates on balances and challenges after
the progressive cycle, showing that changes in the State cannot be analyzed in
isolation, but in relation to ideological, fiscal, and governance
reconfigurations. In a complementary way, Icaza (2020) addresses the
associative mechanisms, expansion and development of public companies in
Ecuador, providing elements to understand how certain state structures have
adapted to new demands of management, efficiency and institutional
articulation.
By virtue
of the above, the object of study of this research is the evolution of
Ecuadorian public administration during the period 2020–2025, understood as the
set of institutional, organizational, normative and operational transformations
that the Latin American scientific literature has identified in the functioning
of the Ecuadorian State. On the other hand, the subject of study is constituted
by the Latin American academic production published on Ecuador in that period,
especially articles, theses and scientific studies that address issues such as
public sector reforms, public enterprises, transparency, administrative
digitalization, public policies, organizational sustainability, legal security
and institutional management.
The
justification of the study lies in the fact that a systematic review allows a
fragmented field of knowledge to be rigorously organized and, at the same time,
to establish which are the predominant thematic lines, the most frequent
methodological approaches and the main research gaps. In the case of Ecuador,
this need is even greater because the volume of specialized publications is not
abundant and many of them are dispersed among legal, administrative, economic
and multidisciplinary journals. Therefore, systematizing the available
literature not only contributes to the state of the art, but also offers a
useful basis for future research, for university teaching and for critical
reflection on contemporary public management in Ecuador. In addition, the selected
period is especially pertinent because it includes years of institutional
rearrangement after the pandemic, debates on fiscal adjustment and
sustainability, expansion of digital tools, review of public policies, and
discussion of transparency, legality, and inclusion in state administration.
In
accordance with this approach, the general objective of this article is to
analyze the evolution of Ecuadorian public administration in the period
2020–2025 through a systematic review of the Latin American scientific
literature. From this general purpose derive several specific objectives
articulated among themselves: to identify the main thematic lines present in
the reviewed literature on Ecuadorian public administration; to examine the
theoretical and methodological approaches employed by the selected studies;
describe the main findings related to institutional reforms, public management,
state-owned enterprises, digitalization, transparency and public policies; and
to recognize the research gaps that persist in Latin American academic
production on public administration in Ecuador. Together, these purposes seek
to offer an integrative vision of the recent changes in the Ecuadorian public
sector, not from an evaluative or ideological stance, but from the critical
systematization of the available scientific evidence.
The
interest in this article also arises because the period 2020–2025 concentrates
a set of phenomena that modified the functioning of the Ecuadorian public
administration. On the economic and fiscal level, Londoño Espinosa (2020)
offers useful background by studying Ecuador's fiscal reaction and the tensions
in the management of public finances, a fundamental aspect to understand how
budgetary restrictions impact state organization. In a more political and
programmatic line, Varela (2021) examines proposals for heterodox stabilization
in the face of neoliberalism, which helps to contextualize debates on the role
of the State, the regulatory capacity of the public sector, and the orientation
of government policies. Later, Pacheco Giraldo (2023) incorporates a reflection
on debt and its implications in the Ecuadorian case, allowing us to understand
that public administration does not evolve only due to internal reforms, but
also due to financial conditions and broader governance frameworks. In
addition, Moncada (2024) studies money laundering and its impact on the
Ecuadorian public administration, revealing that the challenges of the
contemporary State are not limited to administrative efficiency, but include
risks related to institutional integrity, control, and legality.
In 2025,
localized production on Ecuador acquires greater
specificity and shows new thematic concerns. Avalos-Cuadrado et al. (2025)
analyze proposals for transparency in meritocratic notary competitions in
Ecuador, showing that the quality of public administration also depends on the legitimacy
of the mechanisms for selection and access to public positions or functions. In
a related way, Salazar-Carrillo et al. (2025) examine the scarce regulation of
telematic notarial services and its impact on legal certainty, which highlights
the challenge of keeping pace with digitalization with consistent regulatory
frameworks. From another perspective, Zamora-Mendoza (2025) studies digital
tools for administrative simplification in Ecuador, providing evidence on one
of the most visible axes of recent state modernization: the incorporation of
technologies to streamline processes, reduce times, and improve interaction
between citizens and institutions. In turn, Collins-Ventura (2025) highlights
the importance of strengthening organizational capacities with a focus on
sustainability and risks, showing that contemporary public administration can
no longer be evaluated only by classic criteria of legality and hierarchy, but
also by its ability to manage uncertain, complex, and changing environments.
Other
studies in 2025 expand the understanding of Ecuadorian public administration
from sectoral and organizational angles. Cabrera and Toro (2025) examine the
asset sale processes of public companies in Ecuador, opening a discussion on
the State's asset management, the rationalization of resources, and strategic
decisions regarding the State's presence in the economy. Loor and Cusme (2025),
on the other hand, evaluate public policies aimed at strengthening the popular
and solidarity economy, which allows us to observe how the public
administration not only manages internal structures, but also designs and
implements instruments of social and economic intervention. In the field of
labor and rights, Gómez-Arévalo et al. (2025) study the suppression of positions
held by people with disabilities in the public administration of Santo Domingo,
evidencing tensions between administrative rationalization, inclusion, and
protection of rights. Likewise, Rosero Moran et al. (2025) analyze the
relationship between managerial leadership and public administration management
in Ecuadorian public schools, providing indications of how institutional
performance also depends on factors of leadership, organizational culture, and
decision-making.
Although
the temporal core of this review focuses on 2020–2025, it is also pertinent to
recognize certain theoretical and conceptual antecedents that enrich the
interpretation of recent findings. González Calle (2017) studied the legal
situation and labor regime of public companies in Ecuador, providing bases for
understanding debates that are still ongoing around the nature of the public
business sector. Rey (2017), on a broader Latin American scale, reflected on
the crossroads of the State and public companies in a disputed region, a
precedent that helps to locate the Ecuadorian case within structural processes
of reform and contestation of the state model. Even older works, such as those
of Paredes (1995), Pinto and Lahera (1993) and Ramírez (1993), allow us to warn
that discussions on privatization, sale of public enterprises and redefinition
of the state apparatus have a long-term trajectory in Latin America. This means
that the changes observed between 2020 and 2025 do not emerge from a vacuum, but are part of a historical sequence of debates on
state intervention, efficiency, regulation and governance.
This study was developed through a systematic
review of the literature, aimed at analyzing the evolution of Ecuadorian
public administration between 2020 and 2025. To guarantee scientific rigor,
transparency in the selection of studies and the replicability of the search
process, the methodological guidelines of the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items
for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) declaration were applied in its
updated version PRISMA 2020, widely used in academic research to
systematize scientific evidence in different fields of knowledge.
The
systematic review made it possible to identify, select and analyze scientific
studies related to the Ecuadorian public administration published in the
defined period, with the purpose of identifying research trends, predominant
methodological approaches and main results reported in the Latin American
literature.
The study
adopted a systematic review design with a qualitative-interpretative approach,
based on the content analysis of the selected studies. This approach allowed
for a structured examination of the available scientific production on
Ecuadorian public administration, integrating different academic perspectives
from areas such as public management, administrative law, public economics, and
public policies. The methodological process was organized following the four
main stages of the PRISMA 2020 protocol:
a)
Identification of studies
b)
Initial screening or filtering
c)
Eligibility Assessment
d)
Final selection of included
studies
These
stages were represented by a PRISMA flow chart, which shows in detail the
process of progressive reduction of the identified records until the final set
of analyzed investigations was reached.
The search
for scientific literature was carried out in academic databases relevant to
Latin American scientific production, prioritizing those that concentrate
research in social sciences, public administration and public policies. The databases used
were:
These
platforms were selected due to their wide coverage of Ibero-American academic
journals and their relevance in the dissemination of research related to public
administration, state management, and institutional studies in Latin America.
The search
strategy was developed using keyword combinations related to the research
topic. Among the main terms used are:
These
keywords were combined using Boolean AND
and OR operators, with the aim of
expanding or limiting the results obtained in the databases consulted.
To
structure the process of searching for and selecting studies, the PISCO
model was applied, used in systematic reviews in social sciences to delimit
the components of the analysis. The model was structured as follows: The search
strategy was structured using Boolean operators (AND, OR), combining terms
related to public administration, state management, and institutional reforms
in Ecuador.
The main
search algorithm was: ("dismantling" AND "public
administration" OR "public management" OR "public
sector" OR "public institutions") AND (Ecuador) AND
("reform of the State" OR "administrative modernization" OR
"public governance" OR "public policies"). The search was
limited to the period 2020–2025.
P (Population): Latin American scientific literature that
analyzes public administration in Ecuador.
I (Intervention – Phenomenon of interest): Institutional transformations,
administrative reforms, modernization of the State, digitalization of
procedures, administrative transparency and management of public companies in
Ecuador.
S (Scope – Study Context): Ecuadorian public sector, including
state institutions, public enterprises, public policies, administrative
structures, and governance mechanisms.
C (Comparison): Comparison between theoretical and
methodological approaches and results of the studies reviewed.
O (Outcome): Identification of research trends, main
academic findings and knowledge gaps on the evolution of Ecuadorian public
administration between 2020 and 2025.
The
application of the PISCO model made it possible to precisely delimit the scope
of the study and ensure coherence between the research question, the selection
criteria and the analysis of results.
To
guarantee the relevance of the literature analyzed, the following inclusion
criteria were established:
Documents that:
The process
of identification and selection of studies was carried out following the PRISMA
flow represented in Figure 1. In the identification phase, 61 records were located in the databases consulted: 39 from SciELO and 22 from Latindex.
Subsequently, 4 duplicate records, 7 studies with thematic irrelevance and 1
retracted document were detected, which allowed a total of 51 initial records
to be obtained. During the screening phase, the titles and abstracts of the
identified documents were reviewed, reducing the number of records to 39
studies examined. At this stage, 9 studies that did not correspond to the
quality or subject matter investigated were excluded.
In the
eligibility evaluation phase, 30 articles were read in full, in
order to determine their methodological relevance and their direct
relationship with the object of study. As a result of this review, we excluded
15 additional studies. Finally, in the inclusion phase, 15 scientific studies
were selected, which make up the final corpus of analysis of this systematic
review. Of these, 9 studies come from SciELO and 6
from Latindex. The selected studies were organized in
an analysis matrix presented in Table 1, which describes aspects such as
authorship, year of publication, type of document, topic addressed, and
methodology used.
Once the
studies included in the review were selected, a qualitative content analysis
was applied, in order to identify recurring thematic
patterns in the scientific literature analyzed. This process allowed the
studies to be grouped into different analytical categories related to the
evolution of the Ecuadorian public administration, among which the following stand
out:
The
comparative analysis between the studies allowed the identification of
convergences, divergences and research gaps within the Latin American
scientific literature on Ecuadorian public administration. Overall, the
application of the PRISMA 2020 protocol and the PISCO approach made it possible
to structure a systematic, transparent and replicable methodological process,
aimed at understanding the recent evolution of the Ecuadorian public
administration based on the scientific evidence available in the regional
academic literature.
Figure 1. PRISMA Flow of Research
Source: Own elaboration
The analysis of the fifteen studies included in the systematic review (Table 1) allows us to identify a recurring trend in the recent literature on Ecuadorian public administration: the presence of processes of institutional weakening and reduction of the State's operational capacities during the period 2020–2025. Although the studies analyzed address various dimensions of public management, as a whole they show a series of structural problems related to budgetary limitations, transformations in the role of the State, tensions in the management of public resources and difficulties in the sustainability of State administration.
First, one of the most visible trends identified in the literature corresponds to changes in the role of the State within the economy and public management. Research such as that by Herrera et al. (2020) and Varela (2021) indicates that Ecuador has gone through political and economic debates around the scope of state intervention, especially after the progressive political cycle that characterized the previous decade. These studies suggest that the public policies implemented in recent years have been marked by processes of fiscal adjustment and institutional reconfiguration that have modified the role of the State in strategic areas of the economy and public administration.
A second line of results is related to the fiscal and financial constraints of the public sector, an aspect that has a direct impact on the State's ability to sustain investments and guarantee public services. Londoño Espinosa (2020) analyzes the fiscal reaction of the Ecuadorian State and highlights the existing tensions between fiscal sustainability and public spending. In the same vein, Pacheco Giraldo's (2023) study addresses the problem of public debt in the Ecuadorian context, showing that macroeconomic decisions significantly influence the operational capacities of the public administration. This research suggests that budget constraints can affect public investment and the maintenance of state infrastructure.
Another set of results relates to the management of public enterprises and state assets, reflecting transformations in the administration of state resources. Icaza (2020) analyzes the mechanisms of expansion and development of public companies in Ecuador, while Cabrera and Toro (2025) examine the processes of asset sales of public companies. These studies show that state-owned enterprises have undergone processes of reorganization and revision of their management models, which is part of the debates on the efficiency of the public sector and the management of state assets.
Likewise, some works highlight problems related to institutional transparency and administrative regulation, evidencing challenges in the functioning of the state apparatus. Avalos-Cuadrado et al. (2025) analyze the transparency mechanisms in meritocratic notary competitions in Ecuador, pointing out the need to strengthen institutional procedures that guarantee legitimacy in access to public functions. Similarly, Salazar-Carrillo et al. (2025) examine the regulation of telematic notarial services and its impact on legal certainty, highlighting the importance of updating regulatory frameworks in the face of administrative digitalisation processes.
Another relevant dimension identified in the literature corresponds to organizational and management problems within public institutions. Collins-Ventura (2025) points out the need to strengthen organizational capacities in state institutions to improve the sustainability of public management and address institutional risks. For their part, Rosero Moran et al. (2025) analyze the relationship between managerial leadership and institutional performance in Ecuadorian public schools, highlighting that the quality of public administration also depends on organizational and internal management factors.
In the social and institutional sphere, tensions related to labor inclusion and human talent management in the public sector are also identified. Gómez-Arévalo et al. (2025) analyze the elimination of positions held by people with disabilities in the public administration of Santo Domingo, which reflects challenges in the implementation of inclusion policies within state structures. This type of research shows that administrative reorganization can have an impact on the labor structure of the public sector.
Finally, several studies show that the Ecuadorian State has begun to incorporate processes of administrative modernization and digitalization of public services, which represents an institutional response to contemporary challenges of public management. Zamora-Mendoza (2025) analyzes the use of digital tools for administrative simplification in Ecuador, while Loor and Cusme (2025) evaluate public policies related to the popular and solidarity economy. These studies suggest that, despite the structural limitations identified in the literature, there are also efforts aimed at improving administrative efficiency and strengthening certain areas of public management.
Overall, the results of the systematic review show that the recent scientific literature on Ecuadorian public administration describes a scenario characterized by tensions between fiscal restriction, institutional reorganization, governance challenges, and incipient processes of administrative modernization. These factors reflect a complex context in which the State faces difficulties in fully sustaining its operational capacities, while trying to adapt to new demands for transparency, efficiency, and digital transformation.
Table 1. Selected studies in final screening
|
Nº |
Author(s) |
Year |
Document
Type |
Parent
topic |
Methodology |
Database |
|
1 |
Herrera, Torres Dávila and Molina |
2020 |
Academic
book |
Debates
and transformations of the post-progressive Ecuadorian State |
Political
and institutional analysis |
SciELO |
|
2 |
Icaza |
2020 |
Scientific
article |
Development
and expansion of public companies in Ecuador |
Legal-administrative
analysis |
Latindex |
|
3 |
Londoño
Espinosa |
2020 |
Scientific
article |
Fiscal
policy and economic management of the Ecuadorian State |
Econometric
analysis |
SciELO |
|
4 |
Varela |
2021 |
Scientific
article |
Economic
policies and the role of the State in Ecuador |
Public
Policy Analysis |
Latindex |
|
5 |
Gonzabay
Vera |
2022 |
Master's
thesis |
Fixed
Asset Management in the Customs Public Sector |
Case
Study |
SciELO |
|
6 |
Pacheco
Giraldo |
2023 |
Academic
Research |
Public
Debt and Economic Governance in Ecuador |
Legal
and economic analysis |
SciELO |
|
7 |
Moncada |
2024 |
Academic
book |
Money
laundering and its impact on public administration |
Institutional
Legal Analysis |
SciELO |
|
8 |
Avalos-Cuadrado
et al. |
2025 |
Scientific
article |
Transparency
in meritocratic notarial competitions |
Legal
and administrative analysis |
SciELO |
|
9 |
Cabrera
and Toro |
2025 |
Scientific
article |
Sale
of assets of public companies in Ecuador |
Administrative
and financial analysis |
Latindex |
|
10 |
Collins-Ventura |
2025 |
Scientific
article |
Organizational
Capacities and Sustainability in Public Management |
Organizational
Analysis |
SciELO |
|
11 |
Gómez-Arévalo
et al. |
2025 |
Scientific
article |
Labor
inclusion and elimination of positions in public administration |
Socio-administrative
study |
Latindex |
|
12 |
Loor
and Cusme |
2025 |
Scientific
article |
Evaluation
of public policies for popular and solidarity economy |
Evaluation
of public policies |
SciELO |
|
13 |
Rosero
Moran et al. |
2025 |
Scientific
article |
Executive
leadership and public management in public educational institutions |
Correlational
study |
Latindex |
|
14 |
Salazar-Carrillo
et al. |
2025 |
Scientific
article |
Regulation
of telematic notarial services and legal certainty |
Legal
analysis |
SciELO |
|
15 |
Zamora-Mendoza |
2025 |
Scientific
article |
Digitalization
and administrative simplification in Ecuador |
Administrative
Innovation Analysis |
Latindex |
Source: Own elaboration
The results
obtained in this systematic review allow us to interpret the recent evolution
of Ecuadorian public administration within a context characterized by
institutional transformations, fiscal restrictions, and changes in the role of
the State. The scientific literature analyzed suggests that, during the period
2020–2025, the Ecuadorian state apparatus has faced a set of structural
tensions that have affected its management capacity, the sustainability of its
institutions, and the provision of public goods. These transformations should
not be interpreted only as isolated phenomena, but as part of broader processes
of reconfiguration of the State observed in various Latin American countries.
One of the
central elements that emerges from the analysis is the relationship between
fiscal restriction and the operational capacity of the State. Studies such as
those by Londoño Espinosa (2020) and Pacheco Giraldo (2023) show that the
financial constraints of the public sector directly influence the way in which
the State manages its resources, prioritizes its public policies, and maintains
its institutional infrastructure. In contexts where public spending faces
pressures derived from indebtedness or fiscal adjustments, the public
administration tends to experience institutional reorganization processes that
can affect state investment in strategic sectors such as infrastructure, public
services, or social programs. This phenomenon has been widely discussed in the
Latin American literature on state reforms, where it is argued that fiscal
consolidation policies tend to have direct effects on administrative capacity
and the quality of public services.
Another
relevant aspect identified in the literature is the debate on the role of the
State in the economy and in public management. Herrera et al. (2020) point out
that Latin American countries have gone through processes of political and
institutional transition that have modified the forms of state intervention. In
the Ecuadorian case, these transformations are reflected in discussions about
the role of public enterprises, the management of state assets, and the
reorganization of the institutional apparatus. Along these lines, Icaza (2020)
analyzes the functioning of public companies in Ecuador, showing that these
organizations have been the subject of debates related to their efficiency,
their financial sustainability, and their role within the national economy. In
a complementary way, Cabrera and Toro (2025) examine the processes of selling
assets of public companies, which shows that the administration of state assets
has become a relevant topic within discussions on public management and
economic governance.
The
literature reviewed also highlights the importance of strengthening mechanisms
of transparency and institutional legitimacy within the public administration.
Avalos-Cuadrado et al. (2025) highlight that transparency in meritocratic
processes is a key element in guaranteeing the credibility of public
institutions and strengthening citizen trust in the State. Similarly,
Salazar-Carrillo et al. (2025) warn that insufficient regulation of certain
administrative services, such as telematic notarial processes, can generate
risks for legal certainty and for the proper functioning of the institutional
system. These findings reflect that administrative modernization processes must
be accompanied by solid regulatory frameworks that guarantee transparency,
legality, and efficiency in public management.
Another
important element that emerges from the discussion is the role of
organizational capacities within the public sector. Collins-Ventura (2025)
argues that strengthening institutional capacities is a fundamental requirement
to face the contemporary challenges of public administration, particularly in
contexts characterized by economic uncertainty, institutional risks, and
growing demands for administrative efficiency. In this sense, the literature
reviewed suggests that Ecuadorian public institutions require not only
regulatory reforms, but also organizational strengthening processes aimed at
improving planning, resource management, and decision-making.
Likewise,
the results of the review show that the process of modernization of the
Ecuadorian State has progressively incorporated tools of digitization and
administrative simplification. Zamora-Mendoza (2025) highlights that the
digitization of public procedures and services is a key strategy to improve
administrative efficiency and reduce bureaucracy in the public sector. However,
these processes also involve challenges related to regulation, legal certainty,
and institutional adaptation, as pointed out by Salazar-Carrillo et al. (2025).
This suggests that the technological modernization of the State must be
accompanied by institutional reforms that guarantee its sustainability and its
adequate implementation.
In the
social and organizational sphere, the studies analyzed also show challenges
related to the management of human talent in public administration.
Gómez-Arévalo et al. (2025) show that administrative transformations can
generate tensions in terms of labor inclusion, especially with
regard to the protection of the rights of vulnerable groups within the
public sector. On the other hand, Rosero Moran et al. (2025) point out that
institutional leadership and the quality of management significantly influence
the performance of public institutions, particularly in the field of education.
These findings reflect that the efficiency of the State does not depend only on
structural or financial factors, but also on organizational and human talent
management aspects.
Finally,
the literature reviewed suggests that the recent evolution of Ecuadorian public
administration is characterized by a complex dynamic where processes of
institutional restriction and administrative modernization efforts coexist. On
the one hand, there are limitations associated with fiscal restrictions,
institutional reorganization and debates on the role of the State. On the other
hand, initiatives aimed at strengthening transparency, improving administrative
efficiency and incorporating technological tools in public management are also
identified.
In this
sense, the discussion derived from the systematic review highlights that the
Ecuadorian public administration faces the challenge of balancing fiscal
sustainability with institutional strengthening and modernization of the State.
Recent scientific literature shows that these processes are still in
development and that their evolution will depend on political, economic and
institutional factors that continue to shape the functioning of the public
sector in the country.
The conclusions of this study are derived from
the general objective proposed, aimed at analyzing the evolution of Ecuadorian
public administration during the period 2020–2025 based on a systematic review
of the Latin American scientific literature. Based on the analysis of the
fifteen selected studies, research trends, predominant analytical approaches
and main findings related to public management and institutional
transformations of the Ecuadorian State were identified.
In relation
to the first specific objective, referring to identifying the main thematic
lines present in the scientific literature on Ecuadorian public administration,
the results show that recent academic production is mainly concentrated in five
areas of research. The first corresponds to the debates on the role of the
State and the institutional transformations of the public apparatus, especially
in relation to the political and economic changes that have occurred in the
country in recent years. The second area is linked to the management of public
companies and the administration of state assets, which reflects the importance
of analyzing the management of public assets and the reorganization of state
business structures. The third area is related to economic governance and
fiscal constraints that affect the operational capacity of the public sector.
The fourth area corresponds to studies on institutional transparency,
administrative regulation and legal certainty within the public administration.
Finally, the fifth area is oriented towards the processes of administrative
modernization, digitization of public services and strengthening of
organizational capacities within state institutions.
Regarding
the second specific objective, focused on analyzing the theoretical and
methodological approaches used in the studies reviewed, a predominance of
qualitative and interpretative approaches was identified within the scientific
literature on Ecuadorian public administration. Most of the studies are based
on legal-administrative analyses, political-institutional analyses, and
evaluations of public policies, which reflects the influence of the disciplines
of law, political science, and public management on research on the Ecuadorian
State. In contrast, a lower presence of quantitative or econometric studies was
observed, suggesting that the field of public administration research in
Ecuador still presents opportunities to incorporate more diverse empirical
methodologies that allow for a more accurate assessment of the effects of
public policies and administrative reforms.
Regarding
the third specific objective, aimed at systematizing the main findings of the
scientific literature analyzed, the results indicate that the recent evolution
of the Ecuadorian public administration is characterized by a complex
institutional context marked by fiscal restrictions, debates on the role of the
State, administrative reorganization processes, and incipient efforts at
institutional modernization. The literature reviewed shows that budgetary
constraints and economic governance challenges have influenced the capacity of
the State to sustain certain levels of public investment and maintain certain
institutional structures. At the same time, some studies show initiatives aimed
at strengthening institutional transparency, improving organizational
management, and promoting the digitalization of public services as strategies
to increase administrative efficiency.
In general,
the systematic review allows us to conclude that the Ecuadorian public
administration is going through a transition process characterized by tensions
between the need for fiscal sustainability and the social demand to strengthen
the institutional capacity of the State. This scenario poses important
challenges for public management, especially in relation to administrative
modernization, institutional transparency, and the strengthening of
organizational capacities within the public sector.
Finally,
the results of this research also show the existence of gaps in the scientific
production on Ecuadorian public administration. Despite the recent growth of
studies in this field, the volume of research is still limited and focuses
mainly on normative or institutional approaches. Consequently, future research
could expand the analysis by incorporating comparative studies, quantitative
methodologies and empirical evaluations that allow a deeper understanding of
the effects of public policies and administrative reforms on the functioning of
the Ecuadorian State. In this way, the systematization carried out in this
article constitutes a relevant academic basis to strengthen the scientific
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