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.
Highlights
Worldwide, cities have to remain competitive in an increasingly globalized world.Many cities turn to ambitious municipal engineering events or projects to promote urban transformation and obtain a more rational industrial structure as well as better economic and environmental conditions [1]
We interviewed the relevant officials involved in the co-production process of the CAV project
We find that performance measurement by local government is an essential factor affecting the co-production of project
Summary
Many cities turn to ambitious municipal engineering events or projects to promote urban transformation and obtain a more rational industrial structure as well as better economic and environmental conditions [1]. The project of Pearl River New Town in Guangzhou has highly impacted on the development of local region [2,3]. The construction and implementation of projects often requires many resources such as land, local financial support, and private capital participation [4,5]. Simple government investment is inadequate in public goods and service provisions [6,7]. Coproduction is a solution by which the government can absorb non-government resources, as well as exchange and complement resources in public service provision [9,10]. In the UK, co-production has appeared in civil service reports and in some government programs [11]
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