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The work reflects on the transformations, continuities, and ruptures that the intervention of the Argentinean State has undergone in infrastructure sectors. The provision and operation of railway, water and sanitation services, and the production of hydrocarbons through state-owned enterprises were justified based on various aspects. These aspects include public health concerns, the need for critical infrastructure construction, and lack of private investment, the necessity to control the production of strategic goods, control of monopolies, income redistribution, and stimulation of industrialization, among others. Building upon this contextualization, the work reflects on a set of contributions made by state-owned enterprises to the economic and social development of the country. This qualitative study systematizes a broad range of documentary sources, including specialized documents from companies and public organizations, regulations, and statistics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The participation of "Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales" (YPF SA nowadays) has contributed throughout 100 years of the argentine oil industry, to the economic, productive, and social development of the 24 subnational jurisdictions and, at the same time, has been useful as an emblem of social cohesion and construction of a national identity throughout our vast Nation. Thus, YPF has performed, on the field, as the "captain" of the national team and has developed in every segment of the country's hydrocarbon and energy industry, which is why it has become the omnipresent "Aleph". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After more than 10 years of the creation of Aguas y Saneamientos Argentinos S.A. (AySA), this article analyzes the re-nationalization of the drinking water and sanitation services of the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires, based on the study of its performance since 2006. What sort of characteristics did State management adopt? Was the concept of efficiency reconciled with the State duty to guarantee the access to an essential service? The first inquiries seem to show that State management privileged the maintenance and expansion of services over the economic results of the company. Given the change of National Government in December 2015, the continuities and ruptures with the previous period are also addressed. The analysis is based on official documents, legislation and statistics, company balance sheets and reports, newspaper articles and semi-structured interviews. This article provides empirical evidence on how State ownership works in an essential public utility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]