Micro-dimensions in practice: how do Argentina and Brazil shape digital transformation through instrumental choices?

This research presents a comparative analysis of Argentina and Brazil’s digital transformation policy designs. The objective is to understand how the micro-dimensions of these policy designs were structured, which instruments were employed, and how their interactions shape the implementation style. To this end, a qualitative and documentary analysis of regulations was conducted, with instruments coded according to their classes and types. The findings indicate that both countries prioritize organizational and authority-based instruments, with a notable absence of financial instruments, suggesting a state-centered implementation style. Argentina stood out for its greater procedural diversity and intergovernmental coordination, while Brazil demonstrated greater normative coherence and more successful implementation. The study concludes that the effectiveness of digital transformation policies depends on the complementarity of instruments and the institutional capacity for coordination and adaptation. In the absence of such complementarity, institutional innovation and the effective delivery of digital services are undermined—particularly in federative and unequal contexts such as those analyzed.