The journal Public Policies presents articles that provide political, economic, sociological or legal analysis of public policies or dimensions of the public sphere. The Public Policies Journal aims to stimulate the cross fertilization of ideas among diverse disciplines, offer an accessible source on their state of the art and suggest new research orientations. The articles are submitted to a double blind review system by peer reviewers external to the Center for Development Policies. The journal Public Policies is part of the interdisciplinary activity of the Center for Development Policies and the Master in Management and Public Policies of the Faculty of Administration and Economics of the University of Santiago de Chile. Public Policy is published biannually in months of January and July each year.
Centro de Estudios de Políticas para el Desarrollo, Facultad de Administración y Economía, Universidad de Santiago de Chile.
Validación empírica del FIGEM en municipios chilenos
Este artículo evalúa si la clasificación tipológica del Fondo de Incentivo al Mejoramiento de la Gestión Municipal (FIGEM) agrupa municipios fiscalmente comparables. Con datos SINIM y registros FIGEM para 345 municipios entre 2016 y 2024, se construye un panel municipal y se aplican PCA, K-means, matriz de confusión y un modelo de panel con efectos fijos. El Kappa de Cohen se usa solo como referencia complementaria. Los resultados muestran un desalineamiento relevante: 48,7% de los municipios sería reclasificado. El modelo de panel identifica asociaciones intra-municipales, no efectos causales. Se propone discutir un rediseño híbrido sujeto a simulación distributiva previa.
Desafíos y Logros en la Gestión de la Calidad Educativa
El texto analiza el proceso de acompañamiento y mejora de la escuela Antonio Trdan Arko, un establecimiento que enfrentaba el riesgo de cierre por su reiterada categorización como “insuficiente” según la Ley N.° 20.529. Ante esta crisis, se implementó en 2025 un plan de acompañamiento técnico-pedagógico intensivo coordinado por la División de Educación General (DEG). Este plan se centró en la gobernanza territorial, el uso de datos para la toma de decisiones y el fortalecimiento de la evaluación formativa en el aula. Los resultados fueron mixtos pero esperanzadores: en Matemática de 4. ° Básico se logró un aumento significativo de 24 puntos y una reducción drástica de estudiantes en nivel insuficiente. En contraste, el área de Lectura experimentó un retroceso de 12 puntos, evidenciando desafíos pendientes en habilidades de comprensión profunda. No obstante, los Indicadores de Desarrollo Personal y Social, como la convivencia y la autoestima académica, mostraron alzas históricas superiores a los 10 puntos. En conclusión, el informe destaca que el apoyo situado y el liderazgo directivo son motores fundamentales para revertir el deterioro educativo y asegurar la continuidad del reconocimiento oficial.
Transformations in the Human Resources Policy of the San Ramón Municipality in Response to the COVID-19 Crisis (2020–2023)
This study analyzes how the Municipality of San Ramón responded to the human resources crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic between 2020 and 2023. Through a case study based on document analysis, it concludes that the response was rapid, but primarily driven by measures from the central government rather than by the Municipal Human Resources Policy. This policy incorporated actions in a delayed manner and lacked continuity after the emergency. Consequently, the institutional response was more reactive than preventive, showing limited long-term learning, although it enabled the municipality to effectively address the crisis in a critical context.
¿Sigue rindiendo estudiar? Educación, ingresos laborales y desigualdad en Chile, 2006–2024
Este artículo analiza la relación entre educación, ingresos laborales y desigualdad en Chile entre 2006 y 2024, a partir de datos CASEN. Mediante una ecuación de Mincer y un análisis de brechas de ingreso en pesos constantes, se muestra que la educación terciaria conserva una ventaja salarial persistente, con retornos entre 10,4% y 12,7%. Sin embargo, dicha ventaja no garantiza movilidad ascendente sostenida: los ingresos reales de los titulados retroceden después de 2015 y presentan alta dispersión interna. Se concluye que la educación no ha perdido valor, pero ha cambiado su función: opera crecientemente como credencial defensiva en un mercado laboral segmentado
Crecimiento e Impuestos: las Opciones para Chile
Una parte significativa de la literatura sostiene que más impuestos no necesariamente afectan el crecimiento, pues algunos mejoran estática y dinámicamente la asignación de recursos (como los que afectan a las externalidades) o no modifican o muy poco la conducta de los agentes económicos (como el IVA y los impuestos indirectos). Otros lo hacen en cierta magnitud (como los impuestos marginales a los ingresos del capital y del trabajo muy altos), afectando eventualmente las conductas de ahorro e inversión y el arbitraje trabajo-ingresos/actividad no remunerada-descanso, es decir pueden producir eventuales desincentivos a la inversión y al trabajo. El tema es su magnitud, que está condicionada por la elasticidad ingreso de la oferta en cada caso. Desde 1990, junto a la recuperación de la democracia, se discute en Chile sobre impuestos. El tema se zanjó con reformas pequeñas, centradas en impuestos indirectos, proporcionalmente pagados en mayor magnitud por los ingresos bajos, o en mayores tasas del impuesto a las utilidades, como en el caso de la reforma tributaria de 2015. El cálculo oficial indica que un crecimiento adicional del 1% en el PIB aportaría mayores ingresos fiscales de unos US$600 millones, mientras solo el aumento previsto de la pensión garantizada universal, la reducción de listas de espera en los hospitales y la sala cuna universal sumarían unos US$ 7,5 mil millones, para lo que habría que crecer al menos al 12%. Los gastos previstos por el gobierno no podrían ser financiados, salvo aumentos significativos del endeudamiento fiscal, sin un incremento de la carga tributaria. Hay quienes postulan que aumentarlos lesionaría el crecimiento y que se podría terminar recaudando menos. Otra parte de los participantes en el debate se apoya en la literatura especializada que sostiene que impuestos bien aplicados y gastados no solo mejoran la situación de los más necesitados y la equidad general sino que no lesionan e incluso, en determinadas circunstancias, estimulan el crecimiento.
GOBERNANZA ROBUSTA EN SALUD DIGITAL: EL CASO DE TELESALUD EN LA ATENCIÓN PRIMARIA CHILENA [2020 – 2025] .105ROBUST GOVERNANCE IN DIGITAL HEALTH: THE CASE OF TELEHEALTH IN CHILEAN PRIMARY CARE [2020 – 2025]
The challenges associated with the management of demand in primary health care (PHC) serve as a structural impediment to achieving equity and optimizing public expenditure. This article analyzes the implementation trajectory of the «Telesalud» strategy (2020 – 2025), examining its evolution from a local (bottom-up) innovation to a national policy of state modernization (top-down). The present study utilizes a single case study design that employs a mixed approach, encompassing both descriptive and evaluative elements. The research triangulates the documentary analysis of regulations and institutional agreements with quantitative data on implementation (9.2 million requests) and qualitative evidence obtained from key actors at the central and local levels. The evidence indicates that the implementation of a clinical risk prioritization model, augmented by information technologies, has resulted in the liberation of medical hours for complex cases and a reduction in transaction costs for users. The strategy was expanded on a national scale, resulting in the establishment of a unified data network to facilitate evidence-based decision-making. The case substantiates the «Robust Governance» theory in crisis contexts, demonstrating that institutional flexibility, public-private coordination, and the formalization of knowledge assets as public goods are effective mechanisms for generating public value and ensuring the sustainability of health reforms.
Data and governance: Hyper-densification, environmental crisis, and information gaps based on the case of Estación Central, Chile
The swift urban transformation of Estación Central county driven by real estate hyper-densification and recent migration, poses critical challenges for sustainable planning under SDG 11. This essay analyzes the scenario during the first months of implementation of the first Communal Regulatory Plan 2025, arguing that while this instrument fills historical regulatory gaps, it lacks the metropolitan articulation required to manage complex phenomena transcending communal borders. Through three axes—data management, environmental sustainability, and public security—the study examines how the absence of local information hinders the correct estimation of service demand, resulting in operational collapses and public space degradation that new regulations cannot retroactively reverse. The article concludes on the urgent need for multi-level governance systems and evidence-based decision-making to transition from crisis containment to territorial intelligence.
Asociación entre ingreso hospitalario en fines de semana y mortalidad intrahospitalaria: evidencia del sistema público chileno.
El estudio analiza la asociación entre el ingreso hospitalario durante fines de semana y la mortalidad intrahospitalaria en Chile, considerando 899.770 egresos del sistema público en 2004. Se utiliza un modelo de regresión logística ajustado por edad, sexo, comorbilidades, urgencia, condición migrante y complejidad clínica (GRD). Los resultados muestran que los ingresos de fin de semana aumentan en un 9% la probabilidad de fallecimiento respecto a días hábiles, evidenciando un “weekend - effect” moderado. Factores como comorbilidades preexistentes y urgencia del ingreso presentan impactos mayores en la mortalidad. El estudio sugiere que, aunque las diferencias no reflejan necesariamente fallas operativas, plantean desafíos en continuidad asistencial y equidad temporal, destacando la importancia de ajustes por severidad y planificación de recursos hospitalarios.
Revolución pasiva y transformismo en la construcción de la democracia en Brasil
Este artículo busca analizar y reflexionar sobre el proceso de construcción democrática que Brasil ha experimentado en los últimos 40 años, es decir, de 1985 a 2025. Se trata de un estudio de historia política del tiempo presente. El objetivo es comprender la dinámica del proceso de construcción democrática desde la transición del autoritarismo hasta la toma de posesión del primer gobierno civil, encabezado por José Sarney, hasta el tercer mandato presidencial de Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Los conceptos de revolución pasiva y transformismo se utilizan como base de este análisis y guían una interpretación diferenciada del período.
El desafío de la reinvención educativa ante la Inteligencia Artificial: la experiencia del Departamento Provincial de Educación Cachapoal
Este artículo aborda el desafío de la Inteligencia Artificial (IA) en la educación.Se centra en un proyecto financiado por el Mineduc, implementado por el DEPROV Cachapoal,para fortalecer las capacidades docentes en ciudadanía digital e IA. El objetivo fue alinear a los educadores con la próxima actualización curricular.La IA se utilizó como un "asistente pedagógico" para acelerar procesos de investigación, diseño, y producción, siempre subordinada al juicio crítico y a la verificación de estudiantes y maestros. Se desarrollaron veinte iniciativas que integraron IA, resultando en alta motivación estudiantil, mejora en la colaboración, y fomento de habilidades del siglo XXI como el pensamiento crítico y la creatividad. Los desafíos principales son de índole estructural (conectividad y equipos) y formativo. Se destaca la necesidad de formación continua en el uso estratégico de la IA (particularmente en prompts) y en los dilemas de la ética digital.
The New Age of Empires and Worldwide Capitalism
The United States of Donald Trump are demonstrating an imperial will that is at ease with the will of Vladimir Putin in Russia. They put an end to multilateralism and advance a radical idea: a sort of "right of vassalage" of the geographical environment which history would confer on the great powers. This leaves behind the architecture built since the Second World War. Currently neo-mercantilism aims to seek commercial advantages and prevail in the race for control of resources. In this new context, growth policies in the peripheries should aim to cultivate the creation and multiplication of knowledge, increase public infrastructure and public, social, and private entrepreneurial capacity for innovation, removing competitive barriers due to incomplete and asymmetric information in capital markets.
Competitive and Labour Context in Terms of Reducing Working Hours in Mexico (2016-2018)
The aim of this article is to analyse, through a quantitative and descriptive approach to the current reality of the Mexican economic structure, the context of MSMEs and large Mexican firm in order to identify the conditions of productive activities in Mexico, according to the alternatives for reducing working hours policy. A quantitative approach was applied, using Kolmogorov-Smirnov normality test and Pearson statistics correlation, disaggregated by state, region and economic sector. From these, it can be considered that in the Mexican case a strong tendency has been seen in certain sectors to exceed the 48 hours determined by law, which has no significant relationship with the average productivity of such sectors.
Respond and Adaptation of Chilean Institutionalism in Emergency State
In this research, the outcomes of Comprehensive Diagnosis of Learnings instrument are analysed with respect to its objectives realisation and coexistence with the Education Quality Measurement System. Through a mixed focus which matched qualitative and quantitative analysis, documentary review, and semi-structured interviews, it identified that Comprehensive Diagnosis is valued by its flexibility, voluntary nature, and usefulness for teachers. However, this Diagnosis deal with management challenges and articulation with SIMCE. Contemplating strategic plans, which strengthen coordination between both instruments, and assuring appropriate means for its performance are required. The study synthetises critical issues to optimise the Comprehensive Diagnosis and promote its effective coexistence into the educative system.
An Approach to the Concept of Globalisation
Society constantly changes, at a frenetic pace. However, does not a specific society change, but society as a whole (global). The globalisation explains this phenomenon. This article enquires into that concept from various perspectives and authors which belong to the political, economic, cultural or historical fields. I distinguish the cultural basis, which is the beginning of process, from the economic expression, the most widespread at social level. In last sense, the firms, and some ideology, have found a large influence space which has entailed the loss of nation-State control and, concurrently, the incursion of ultraliberalism as the power ideology where the globalisation is identified.
Public Actions to Adress Inequalities in the Context of Pandemic
The article aims to identify the public policies implemented by the state governments of the Brazil northeast region, from january to may 2021, in order to confront the expansion of inequalities resulting from COVID-19 pandemic. Data collection was obtained from the official databases of each State. Analyzing the set of adopted policies, it can claim this set eased the most harmful effects of social, health, and economic crisis for significant population portions: the hunger; likewise, eased the burden about rates of water, electrical, gas, and transport services in household budget. It concludes that policies are limited and unable to structurally change the currently undevelopment conditions.
Unilateral Effects of Horizontal Mengers and Banking Industrial Structure (Peru, 2000-2019)
This article studies the unilateral effects of horizontal banking mergers in Peru and their relationship with industrial structure from an Industrial Organization perspective. Competition theory and policy in the area, encapsulated in U.S. and European antitrust laws, have inspired the legislation applicable to the previous analysis of business concentrations in Peru (Law 31.112, effective since 2021). Using the structure of the banking market, categorized by leading and follower banks, and a cross-sectional data model for the period 2000-2019, the study highlights statistically and theoretically significant inferences about market power, relative costs, and horizontal mergers in the banking industry structure.
This article reveals an approach to the outcome evaluation in environmental, social, and local economy aspects with respect to the implementation of Sembrando Vida program in the territories which hold this public policy in the San Luis Potosí state. Successes, critical issues, lessons, and pending agenda of program are exposed in the last five years of its development. Results, as for planned goals in its Operation Rules and posed objectives in the National Development Plan (2019-2024), are showed. The applied qualitative methodology is participant observation, with the Peasant Learning Communities together with social and productive technicians, during post-doctoral stay effected in its incidence form, offered by the National Council of Humanities, Sciences, and Technologies in 2023.
Secondary Cities in a New Economic Geography
The internalisation of production has contributed to a new economic geography that has created significant challenges for cities. There are some cities which are integrated into the global economy and more prepared to deal with the automation processes: however, others have not been able to soak in global value chains (GVCs) and they are at risk faced with automatization process. Using elements of the Local Economic Development approach (LED), this article proposes four axes to addresses the challenges that the new economic geography considers for secondary cities, i.e., the less prepared than other cities to integrate in the global economy, are home to much of the world population.
In this article, it searches for examining the intersection between migration and public security in the Region of Tarapacá, Chile. Through an integral approach, it gathers infor-mation and analyzes both the set of dispersed data from various governmental agencies, e.g., the Police forces, and the perceptions of community as well, key actors, including the Aimara aboriginal population. Thus, it discloses there are complex patterns of interaction between migration, above all irregular, though also in general, and security, expressing the need to deal with these phenomena in an integral and integrity shape from the public policies on the part of the various involved central and regional actors.
The Great Failure of Gradualism in Venezuela II
The gradualism is linked with the conservation of exchange rates and prices controls, meanwhile the shock policies are affixed in devaluations and liberalizations. In the case of Venezuela, the long-term economic policy is connected to the gradualism and, therefore, the past. It observes that Venezuela have been a country without acceptable economic liberties where the shock policies are absents. Since the capture of power by Hugo Chavez, the economic liberties have not only constricted worse than precedent years, but the private property has been undermined and the public doubt has brought at risk of default. This essay is the end of a path started in a previous article, trusting in the international instances as the IMF and the implementation of shock policies to resolver the burden of some then and now harmful economic policies.
Cybersecurity Evaluation Model in Public Institutions
This article presents the design and application of a model for assessment with respect to the maturity level of cybersecurity in the public domain: the Cybersecurity in Public Institutions Evaluation Model. For its design, it analyzed and extracted elements of two models: one by the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity and the other by the Organization of American States together with Inter-American Development Bank. In turn, it followed the guidelines of National Cybersecurity Policy in Chile and the distinct current resources. For its execution, it exploratorily implemented in the Superintendency of Insolvency and Re-sumption/Re-entrepreneurship and the Office of National Economic Prosecutor. It evinced that this Model allows for identifying advances and weaknesses in the matter and, from the last ones, generating mitigation and improvement proposals.
Relationship between the Free-of-Charge Implementation and Redistribution of Enrollment in Superior Education Institutions in Chile (2016-2022)
The present article aims at analyzing which effects have the free-of-charge public policy generated in the enrolment of the Superior Education in Chile, since its application in 2016 until 2022. According to this, it pretends both to estimate how have distributed the set of enrolled students in the Education Superior system, as new establishments are affiliated with this state benefit, as well as to compare the evolution of institutions and degrees which the with or without free-of-charge students get into. For this, it made a descriptive statistical analysis from the information gathering available in the Study Centre of Education Ministry. In this case, not only focused on universities, but also in Professional Institutes and Technical Education Centers.
The Occupational Mismatch of Youths in Peru
Occupational mismatch in young professionals from Metropolitan Lima is a complex and multifactorial problem which requires a critical and reflective view. Despite the efforts of government and educational institutions to improve education and technical training, the lack of job opportunities in the country remains as one of the main causes of occupational mismatch amongst young professionals. For that reason, in this article, it seeks to analyze the link of elements that affects the rate of occupational mismatch in young professionals in Metropolitan Lima, Peru. The aim is in-depth understanding the causes of this problem in young people who face the daily processes of transition to the labor market.
Relationship between Implementation of Digital Technologies for Educationand Performance of Benefited Students from Projects of Enlaces Innovation Center 2016-2019
This research explores the impact of information and communication technology projects on student performance, considering both attendance and grades. The analyzed programs include “Mi Taller Digital”, “Iluminación Wifi” y “Tecnologías de Acceso Universal para la Educación”. Employing a quantitative, quasi-experimental, and longitudinal methodology, we apply Difference-in-Differences analysis with staggered treatments. We aim to understand the scope of these technologies in teaching and learning processes, focusing on attendance and annual grade averages. This study contributes to the understanding of the influence of digital technologies in education.
In this essay, my aim is looking for the keys and opportunities in various spheres in 1970-1973 period whereby the different actors could have taken other way, other choice and avoiding the september 11th tragedy. Examining the occurrence of september 11th of 1973, analyzing its causes and remembering its consequences must be useful for lessons for our future.
50 years ago, It commited the overthrow of a legitimate and democratic Government, followed by a violent and prolonged repression, but, not a failure of historical project which inspired the Popular Unity government. This project carried on in other ways, from a spirit of resistance which it sign up in decades of social struggles. Even so, in this fiftieth anniversary, the disqualifications of historical project of left-wing and Salvador Allende government have remained and, in the right-wing world, the injury is patent. In this essay, through a historical-economic account of President Allende government, I desmystify the set of those disqualifications, at the same time I identify the relevance and future of allendist project 50 years later, in this currently Chile.
The September 11th, 1973. Two Faces of September 11th
For someones, the military coup was not but the restoration of constitutional order. For some others, the military coup was not but a tyranny. These two faces live on both 1975 and today at the moment of paying attention the positions and opinions with respect to the September 11th. The path is the reconciliation. This one will only arrive if ones understood that the Allende government reached an unsustainable crisis, greatly because of its mistakes, and if other ones accepted that the militar regime denied the constitutional aura, of which wanted surround itself with, when commited Human Rights massive violations.
The Coup of State in Chile Geopolitics and Republic Army Destruction
On the ocassion of Pagaré con mi Vida la Lealtad del Pueblo book publication, in this instance it concerns account for the decision, in detail, of coup of State against the legitimate government of Salvador Allende and Popular Unity. Far from being an occurrence chilean exclusive or principally, the democratic regime destabilisation and coup of State were both draw-execution and a warning from the United States geopolitics to burst and wipe out all attempt of socialist democratic government in Latin America and Europe. For this, the Republican Army destruction was a sine qua non for the fulfilment of overthrow.
We have already commemorated the 50 years of civilian-military coup in Chile: that is a date which generated several expectatives as a relevant milestone in the social and political history in our country. Despite all of said and written, it is not yet possible to find an agreed explanation about the causes which flow into the violent breakdown of our democracy. Even more, after half century, the hatred seem rekindle between extreme political spheres. In this essay, I ask myself about the path for the democratic peace and convivence in this challenging XXI century.
In the thirtieth anniversary of Coup of State, the environment did thinking We were looking for the agreement, in spite of tensions. In the fortieth anniversary, with the right-wing in La Moneda, It defended the liberty and condemned the dictatorship of Pinochet and Human Rights violations. One year before of fiftieth anniversary, everything indicated to be guided to the moderation and agreement from both parts. And, nevertheless, something broke: 50 years from coup, the reactions from political world show us a setback which must be a worry for everybody. Under these circumstances, I wonder the 60 years for preventing the repetition of this 50 years full of extremism and bigotry.