Government incentives facing COVID-19: A comparative study between Brazil and Chile in light of communication theory

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic forced different countries to implement new strategies to reduce its spread and mitigate its economic and social effects. Given this scenario, this study aims to compare government incentives granted by Brazil and Chile, in response to the economic effects of COVID-19. This qualitative and exploratory research uses indirect (bibliographic) and secondary documentation with data collected from the websites of the state governments in each country, between 2020 and 2021. The Iramuteq 2.0 software for data analysis. Based on Factorial Correspondence Analysis using a dendrogram, the study analyzes the incentives launched by: laws, decrees, contingency policies, guidelines in booklets, applications, and combating fake news, classified into 4 (four) categories: (i) tax and labor, (ii) actions on social networks, (iii) benefits programs and (iv) legalization. The results show that Chile offered more incentives than Brazil, highlighting the helping program from large companies to small ones, On the other hand, Brazil conducted more campaigns to combat fake news. In the light of the communication theory (CT), the findings highlighted the advances of governments in the expansion of digital channels (social networks, web pages and applications) to inform citizens and companies. During this period State Governments learned new insights to outline new strategies to stimulate the economy, to promote learning and increase the capacity to lead in contexts of crises and pandemic

Fiscal policies for economic sustainability in COVID-19: what do subnational governments in Brazil and Colombia reveal?

“…In addition, country choice characteristics and conceptual approaches of subnational governments support the methodology for comparing public governance response measures regarding fiscal policies adopted by subnational governments for economic sustainability. Aspects addressed in other scientific studies supporting these analyzes developed (Tavares, Silveira & Paes-Sousa, 2020;Vivas & Villar, 2020;Bhusal, 2020;Fairlie2020;Ansell, & Torfing, 2021;Araújo, Souza & Gomes, 2023).…”

“…In the context of developing countries, these fiscal policies are instituted through government action programs, in this sense, they play a correlated role, and it is through the State that it is possible to raise and maintain public revenues to develop its inherent functions, as well as organize and execute (Araújo, Souza, Gonçalves & Silva, 2020, Medeiros & Rossignoli, 2017Araújo, Souza & Gomes, 2023).…”

“…In view of this scenario, the measures that guarantee economic sustainability through tax incentives have made it possible to obtain financial resources from central, subnational and municipal governments (Gomes, 2021;Guzmán, Araújo, & Celis, 2023). Other studies reinforce that these measures are means of facing adversity, meeting the demands of society and future challenges when dealing with mechanisms for composing strategic decisionmaking plans (Fairlie, 2020;Vivas & Villas, 2020;Kijkasiwat et al , 2021;Yan et al, 2021;Araújo, Souza & Gomes, 2023). This work aims to compare public governance response measures regarding the fiscal policies adopted by subnational governments for economic sustainability in Brazil and Colombia in the face of the Covid-19 crisis.…”

“…However, these measures require regulation to be effective in practice (Tavares, Silveira and Sousa, 2020). These two South American countries are studied in this article because they were the first to implement decrees, laws, financial and non-financial measures in Latin America, assuming a fundamental role in combating the pandemic, not only to face adversities, but to meet the demands of society (Fairlie, 2020;Kijkasiwat et al, 2021;Yan et al, 2021;Araújo, Souza & Gomes, 2023). This dichotomy is marked, on the one hand, by the effectiveness of the confinement measures enacted by the government, the strengthening of the health and self-care system exercised by citizens (Leguizamón, López & Beltrán, 2021).…”