University restaurant of UFPE: a systemic approach

Abstract

This study aims to analyze a problem situation of the university restaurant of the Federal University of Pernambuco regarding the limited capacity of the service in the light of systems theory. The situations were represented through archetypes in an attempt to better understand the use of systemic thinking in the face of the dynamic and complex scenarios. For that, we used opinion polls conducted at the unit between 2011 and 2014, as well as documents from the institution and information obtained by the researchers themselves. It was found that the management of the unit does not act in a systemic way, presenting palliative actions that, in the short term, alleviate the symptom, but then become precarious. The study showed that the systemic analysis from the construction of the archetypes is an important tool that can be used in the decision making process. In this case, the food supply activity, as an activity-means of management of the institution, is liable to decentralize the supply through the extension of the outsourcing of services, as is the unit itself; and / or the realization of agreements with the private network already existing in the campus through contracts with the institution.