Assistance policy and income transfer programs: institutional and technological reforms in Latin America

Abstract

Beginning in the 90s and until the present, conditional income transfer programs have been the preferred option of Latin American governments to address poverty problems. The introduction of these programs prompted a set of reforms within the State and the public administration. This article examines how the introduction of income transfer programs brought related processes such as the emergence of a new institutional framework in the social field, a relatively new set of management requirements, and the use of new information technologies. This article used a qualitative methodology, reviewed bibliographic and documentary sources, and analysed recent research to define institutional and technological policy changes in Latin America. The results show that, despite specificities, State reforms are persistent.  They also show that the managerial orientation announced in 1998 by the Latin American Council of Administration for Development prevails over the ideological spectrum of governments in office.