Municipal Profiles in Sinter Integration

A factor and spatial analysis

Abstract

Objective – to identify and map municipal positioning profiles regarding the National System for Territorial Information Management (Sinter). 
Methodology – national-diagnostic survey of Brazilian municipalities’ perceptions toward Sinter, using a non-probabilistic convenience sample. To achieve the study’s objective, responses to Likert-scale items from the applied questionnaire were analyzed. Analyses followed these steps: measures of central tendency and dispersion (mean, standard deviation, median, and interquartile range); validation of the questionnaires through a multi-stage psychometric approach; Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to investigate the latent structure of the constructs; factor extraction by the least squares method with oblique rotation; assessment of internal consistency of the identified dimensions via Cronbach’s alpha and McDonald’s omega; finally, cluster analysis using Ward’s hierarchical method (Ward.D2) to identify municipal profiles. 
Originality/Relevance – Although the literature on Sinter has advanced in describing its functioning, potential, and regulatory challenges, three complementary analytical dimensions remain unexplored: psychometric measurement of municipal perceptions of the system, empirical segmentation of municipalities into institutional positioning profiles, and cartographic representation of these profiles across the national territory. This study simultaneously fills these three gaps, producing—unprecedented in the literature—a choropleth map of the spatial distribution of municipal profiles of Sinter adoption, anchored in a factor structure validated by CFA. Academic relevance is demonstrated in four dimensions: i) methodological relevance – the study shows the feasibility of applying psychometric methods to the field of territorial governance; ii) substantive relevance – the determinants of Sinter adoption are predominantly institutional rather than regional; iii) policy relevance – the diagnostic can inform authorities in prioritizing municipalities and allocating differentiated technical-support resources; and iv) research agenda relevance – the validated instrument and the five-profile typology provide a replicable empirical basis for longitudinal studies monitoring how municipal adherence to Sinter evolves over time. 
Results – effectively 82 municipalities participated, distributed across all five regions of the country. Two latent factors were identified—Perceived Benefits of Sinter (F1; α = 0.847) and Challenges for integration and use (F2; α = 0.866)—both with adequate internal consistency. Hierarchical cluster analysis (Ward.D2) segmented municipalities into five distinct profiles, whose factor scores reveal specific combinations of value perception and perceived barriers. The spatial distribution of these profiles, represented by a choropleth map, showed no systematic geographical pattern, suggesting that determinants of Sinter adoption are predominantly institutional, technical, and financial rather than regional. 
Theoretical/ Methodological Contributions – Identification of two latent factors: Perceived Benefits of Sinter and Challenges for integration, indicating a dual rationality in adoption. Classification of municipalities into five profiles (clusters) shows institutional heterogeneity and the need for differentiated actions. The spatial distribution of profiles does not follow a regional pattern, suggesting determinants are institutional, technical, and financial, not geographical. Use of a robust method: EFA and CFA for construct validation, hierarchical clustering, and choropleth mapping for spatial reading of profiles.
Social and Environmental Contributions – The results support the planning of differentiated strategies for technical assistance, capacity-building, and institutional communication tailored to each group's profile, with the objective of municipalities integrating into Sinter, benefiting from the exchange of territorial information that underpins appropriate Urban Planning.