Globalization and the local government learning process in post‐Mao China: a transnational perspective

Abstract

Since the 1970s, China has changed from a centrally planned economy to a more open and globalized one. Within this context we ask how, under what circumstances and through what means are local governments able to make policy innovations in upgrading the business environment within their jurisdictions. Theoretically, it is possible to learn policy innovations from the past, from neighbours and from aboard. Leading development regions, like the Yangtze River Delta, are unlikely to learn from either their domestic neighbours or their past communist history. Therefore, they must learn from the experiences of other countries. We argue that this transnational learning process occurs through three different but interrelated mechanisms. These are (1) the personal networks of local officials interacting with foreign investors who are familiar with international business standards of global production networks; (2) institutional alliances in which local officials interact with foreign governments that have co‐invested in development zones and joint interests; and (3) hegemonic discourse, wherein local officials interact with foreign consultants who have essential development knowledge. We examine this contention by analysing three empirical cases of local governments in the Yangtze River Delta – Kunshan, which demonstrates the personal network learning mechanism; Suzhou, demonstrating institutional alliance learning; and Shanghai, which exemplifies learning through hegemonic discourse.

Diffusion and Assimilation of Government Microblogging: Evidence from Chinese cities

“…Successful practices generate followers and spur spread, and governments in developing countries and regions are keen to learn from their developed counterparts. China is no exception, with its governments eager to learn from more developed countries and regions internationally, particularly the United States and Hong Kong (Chien and Ho, 2011;Christensen et al, 2008). International sister city agreements facilitate municipal cooperation and exchange in a variety of fields, with participants benefitting from the learning and imitation of their twinned counterparts (Cremer et al, 2001).…”

Greater China, the challenges of global production networks and the dynamics of transformation

“…Additionally they may fail to challenge the nature of power within global GPNs led by Western lead firms, implying that in such new technology sectors Chinese actors may continue to remain in relatively subservient positions. Chien and Ho (2011) further our understanding of how state policy is shaped in China at the local level, and how transnational forms of learning impact on patterns of local government that influence the nature of GPNs in China's emergent growth regions. These patterns of transnational learning at the local government level have involved cross-straits knowledge flows in Kunshan (Suzhou) through the critical inputs of Taiwanese investors in the electronics and personal computer sectors, which have transformed its industrial landscape.…”

The institutionalization and effectiveness of transnational policy transfer: The China–Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park as a case study

“…Defined as "a process in which knowledge about policies, administrative arrangements, institutions, and so on in one time and/or place is used in the development of policies, administrative arrangements, and institutions in another time and/or place" (Dolowitz & Marsh, 1996), policy transfer has been considered a faster and wiser way to learn from other nations which have already gone through similar challenges or development trajectories instead of self-learning through trials and errors, which is both time-consuming and costing valuable resources (Chien & Ho, 2011). Globalization has served as a further catalyst for transnational learning, and the pressure of global economic growth has encouraged (or forced) countries to learn from abroad (Benson & Jordan, 2011;Jessop & Sum, 2000;Stone, 2012).…”