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How Do Political Features Influence the Co-Production of Government Projects? A Case Study of a Medium-Sized Chinese City

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  • Wenting Ma

    (School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
    Department of Multi-Actor Systems, Faculty of Technology, Policy & Management, Delft University of Technology, Jaffalaan 5, 2628 BX Delft, The Netherlands)

  • Rui Mu

    (Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China)

  • Martin de Jong

    (Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Burgemeester Oudlaan 50, 3062 PA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
    Erasmus School of Law, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Burgemeester Oudlaan 50, 3062 PA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
    Institute for Global Public Policy, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China)

Abstract

Co-production is a solution by which the government provides public services. Co-production theory is built upon Western experience and currently focuses on the types of co-production in different policy stages, the barriers and governance strategies for co-production. However, little attention is paid to how political background will influence the co-production process. To fill the gap, we analyzed a case of co-production that occurred in China, and we characterized the political background as consisting of three main political features: political mobility, central–local relations, and performance measurement. Based on an in-depth case study of a government project in a medium-sized Chinese city, the impact and the changes of political features affecting governmental projects in different co-production stages are analyzed and assessed. We find that political features play a critical role in the co-production of China’s large government projects and may separately and jointly affect co-production. Government performance measurement affects the co-design and co-implementation of projects. Political mobility and changes in local government and performance measurement also affect the co-implementation continuity of the project. Political focus affects the co-design of projects. Central-local relations influence the support from higher government and the actual practices of lower government in the co-implementation stage.

Suggested Citation

  • Wenting Ma & Rui Mu & Martin de Jong, 2021. "How Do Political Features Influence the Co-Production of Government Projects? A Case Study of a Medium-Sized Chinese City," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-18, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:14:p:7600-:d:590084
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    References listed on IDEAS

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