What Drives the Performance of Collaboration Networks: A Qualitative Comparative Analysis of Local Water Governance in China

Abstract

Local water governance is challenging given the significance to public health and the difficulties to manage it in a fragmented administrative system. A collaboration network is a popular governance tool in local governance to cope with functional fragmentation problems and institutional collective action (ICA) dilemmas. Empirical works are needed to examine the outcomes of such governance networks, especially in the context of environmental governance. With fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA), this article seeks to evaluate the outcomes of collaboration networks by investigating the influence of network structures on local water governance performance in China. Based on empirical analyses on a dataset of twenty local water governance networks implementing the Water Ecological Civilization Pilot Project in China, the findings suggest that a high overall bridging and bonding of social capital and a low network density are important determinants of effective collaboration networks. This study has policy implications for the design of local collaboration networks in facilitating effective environmental governance.

Measurement, Subsystem Coupling Coordination, and Spatial Convergence of the modernization of Chinese-style Governance Capability

“…Moreover, the development of governance theory has given rise to various schools of thought such as network governance, meta-governance, and collaborative governance. Scholars like Cui et al (2020) [27] , Müller et al (2022) [28] , and Unterhitzenberger et al (2023) [29] have conducted extensive research on these topics.…”

Formation Mechanism of a Coastal Zone Environment Collaborative Governance Relationship: A Qualitative Comparative Analysis Based on fsQCA

“…The structural tension of the environment is the main factor influencing the collective action of environmental governance [ 66 ]. The pressure mechanism brought by the discharge of highly polluted wastewater will promote more active collaborative governance with regard to the water environment [ 67 ], and stakeholder perception of environmental pollution promotes their motivation to participate in environmental governance [ 68 ]. Coastal cities have different pillar industries and economic and social development levels.…”

Regional Governance and Multiplex Networks in Environmental Sustainability: An Exponential Random Graph Model Analysis in the Chinese Local Government Context

“…(Yi et al 2018), and "How effective is collaboration?" (Cui and Yi 2020;Huang, Chen and Yi 2020;Yi, Yang and Zhou 2021). However, the key question of how Chinese local governments collaborate with each other through different mechanisms remains unanswered, and thus, the "black box" of collaboration mechanisms needs to be opened to understand the way local governments choose collaborative partners.…”

“…The existing literature that has examined local government collaboration in China focused on the questions, “Why collaborate?” (Liu et al 2021; Qian and Weingast 1996; Ye 2009; Yi et al 2019), “What are the collaboration mechanisms being selected?” (Yi et al 2018), and “How effective is collaboration?” (Cui and Yi 2020; Huang, Chen and Yi 2020; Yi, Yang and Zhou 2021). However, the key question of how Chinese local governments collaborate with each other through different mechanisms remains unanswered, and thus, the “black box” of collaboration mechanisms needs to be opened to understand the way local governments choose collaborative partners.…”