Efficiency Evaluation and Influencing Factor Analysis of China’s Public Cultural Services Based on a Super-Efficiency Slacks-Based Measure Model

Wenling Wang,Tong Chen

doi:10.3390/su12083146

Abstract

It has been established that culture can contribute to the sustainable development of a country and the world. In China, cultural demands are increasing while cultural resources are relatively scarce. Therefore, this paper evaluates the efficiency of public cultural services in China from 2013 to 2017 and analyzes the major factors affecting this efficiency based on the panel data of 31 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions (hereafter referred to as “provinces”) in mainland China. The super-efficiency slacks-based measure (SBM) model in Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) was adopted. The results show that the efficiency of the public cultural services in each province is significantly different, and the overall efficiency shows a downward trend from 2013 to 2017. The gross domestic product per capita, the education level of the residents, fiscal decentralization, and population density significantly impact public culture service efficiency. Based on these results, the following policy recommendations are proposed: (1) Optimize the input structure of public cultural services and adjust the service direction to satisfy the emerging needs for a more diversified and personalized public with economic development and the improvement of education level; (2) adjust the allocation of public cultural resources nationwide and facilitate the flow of public cultural resources from developed to underdeveloped areas; and (3) provide local governments with higher fiscal autonomy and appropriately introduce the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model to utilize private capital.

Highlights

Culture is the lifeblood of a nation; it gives the people a sense of belonging and is a powerful driving force for economic and social development
This paper used the slacks-based measure (SBM) model of super-efficiency in its Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) analysis to examine the efficiency of public cultural services in different regions and used the panel data regression analysis model to quantify the main factors affecting their efficiency
Evaluation Results of Public Cultural Service Efficiency Based on a Super-Efficiency SBM

Summary

Introduction

Culture is the lifeblood of a nation; it gives the people a sense of belonging and is a powerful driving force for economic and social development. In the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations in 2015, culture was mentioned for the first time on the international development agenda. Target 4.7 calls for the appreciation of cultural diversity and culture’s contribution to sustainable development [1]. Hosagrahar pointed out that culture can directly contribute to the sustainable development of economy, society, and the environment and is one of the core objectives of sustainable development [2]. With its rapid economic development, China has become the second largest economy in the world, but the development of China’s public cultural undertakings is lagging behind. For a long period of time, Chinese public cultural investment only accounted for 0.3–0.4% of public fiscal expenditures, which is lower than the average level of 1% in developed countries [3]. The total amount of cultural undertakings in 2016–2017 and the proportion of total national fiscal expenditures reached a record high [5], and on 1 March, 2017, “The Law on the Protection of Public Cultural Services” was implemented, the fourth article of which clearly states that the government should “strengthen the construction of public cultural facilities, improve the public cultural service system, and enhance the efficiency of public cultural services.”

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion