The Integrated Service in Urban Community Governance
Evidence from Shanghai
- 2025
- Book
- Author
- Liwen Hou
- Book Series
- Public Economy and Urban Governance in China
- Publisher
- Springer Nature Singapore
About this book
This book analyzes new situations and challenges for the Shanghai model of community governance in subdistrict system reform, government-purchased services, social institution development, grid-based management and the opening-up of blocks, social governance with social power, team-building of community workers, etc., taking the reform of community governance in Shanghai. Both structural and social reasons for that are demonstrated as well. In this way, as for governance elements, the innovation process, key steps, and multiple practices in primary-level society, a systematic and integrated model restructuring is proposed, which centers on the community for solutions. To be specific, it refers to an integrated service model construction based on community, so as to advance the modernization of the primary-level governance system in Shanghai and its governance capabilities.
The translation was done with the help of artificial intelligence. A subsequent human revision was done primarily in terms of content.
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Table of Contents
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Frontmatter
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Chapter 1. Introduction
Liwen HouThis chapter delves into the transformation of China's grassroots social management system, highlighting the shift from a unit-based system to a community-centered approach. It explores the role of communities in social governance innovation and the challenges of administrative integration versus community autonomy. The text focuses on Shanghai's 'No. 1 Project,' which aims to innovate social governance and strengthen grassroots construction. It examines the project's goals, methodologies, and the structural dilemmas encountered in its implementation. The chapter also discusses the significance of forming the 'Shanghai Model 3.0' of community governance, reflecting Chinese characteristics, and promoting refined grassroots social governance. Through empirical research and comparative analysis, the text provides insights into the practical experiences and innovative practices of Shanghai's community governance, offering a roadmap for modernizing grassroots social governance systems and capabilities.AI Generated
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AbstractWith the establishment of the market economy system, the grassroots social management system, which was primarily based on the unit system and supplemented by the street-residence system, gradually disintegrated. A community-based grassroots social management system, compatible with the market economy system, emerged. To address the potential social atomization and national integration difficulties following the disintegration of the “total society,” the state attempted to rebuild its “new channels” for connecting residents and linking the grassroots. This process is the process of building the state's penetration capacity and is also the process of the continuous downward shift of the focus of social governance. Consequently, communities gradually moved to the forefront of grassroots social governance, occupying a foundational position in social governance innovation, becoming the background field for the multi-subjects of grassroots governance to play their roles, and an important component of the “new channels,” playing a significant role in social integration. At the same time, constrained by the inertia of the unit system, initial conditions, and the orientation of building control order, communities evolved into highly administrative organizations in grassroots social management practice, becoming the second unit or unit second after the unit, with the government developing communities into “self-management, self-education, The initial intention of a “self-service, self-supervision” community of life is contrary. To correct the trend of community administration and address the longstanding issues of “excessive administrative integration and insufficient community autonomy capacity” that trouble the construction of grassroots social order, various regions are actively exploring internal governance structure innovation and system mechanism reorganization under the large framework of innovative social governance. Therefore, “innovating social governance and strengthening grassroots construction” has opened a new phase of community governance and service innovation in Shanghai. -
Chapter 2. Concepts and Model Comparisons Related to Grassroots Social Governance
Liwen HouThis chapter delves into the core concepts and models of grassroots social governance, exploring the evolution of community governance paradigms. It begins by defining key terms such as grassroots, grassroots construction, community, and community governance, providing a foundation for understanding the various governance models that have emerged. The text systematically reviews research on grassroots social governance from the perspectives of state and society analysis, highlighting the reform and improvement of community systems and the presentation of classic models of urban community governance innovation. Additionally, it evaluates recent research directions and the status of social organization participation in community governance, including the “three-society linkage” and government procurement of services. The chapter also reflects on the dominant analytical paradigms in grassroots social governance, such as state-centered theory, society-centered theory, and the “state within society” approach. It concludes by discussing the challenges and future directions of grassroots social governance, emphasizing the need for a more integrated and holistic approach to community governance. Readers will gain insights into the complex interplay between state and society in shaping community governance practices and the innovative models that have emerged in response to these dynamics.AI Generated
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AbstractThis book centrally examines community governance and service innovation, necessitating a comprehension of the attributes of conventional community governance paradigms as identified through a literature review. What governance models have emerged in the community governance process? How is grassroots society unfolding and advancing governance innovation? What are the dominant analytical paradigms for grassroots social governance? This chapter will systematically review and organize the literature from the following aspects: first, sorting out core concepts and issues such as grassroots, grassroots construction, community, and community governance; second, systematically reviewing and reflecting on research on grassroots social governance from the perspectives of state and society analysis; third, reviewing the reform and improvement of community systems and the presentation and evolution of classic models of urban community grassroots social governance innovation; fourth, providing an overall review of research on social organization participation in community governance, “three-society linkage,” and government procurement of services; fifth, providing an overall evaluation of recent research directions and the aforementioned research status to form a comprehensive and systematic literature framework for this book. -
Chapter 3. Theoretical Foundation and Analytical Perspective
Liwen HouThis chapter delves into the theoretical foundations and analytical perspectives of governance, tracing its origins from the Latin word 'Gouvernail' to its contemporary definitions. It explores the five key aspects of governance as summarized by Gerry Stoker, including the challenge to traditional state authority and the blurring boundaries between public and private sectors. The text also examines the World Bank's and the United Nations' definitions of effective governance, highlighting the importance of citizen safety, political transparency, and accountability. A significant focus is on the role of social work and organizations in grassroots social governance, discussing their integration, challenges, and the need for a modern social work system. The chapter further explores the shift towards collaborative governance, emphasizing the equal relationship and consensus decision-making among governance subjects. It concludes with an analytical framework for achieving joint governance and the innovation of community construction systems, providing insights into the future of governance in urban communities.AI Generated
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AbstractOriginates from the Latin word “Gouvernail,” which originally meant “steering, guiding, and manipulating.“ From an etymological perspective, the Latin words “Gouverne” (guidance, directing), “Gouvernement” (rule, government), and “Gouvernance” (governance) are the same. With the establishment of nation-states, the concept of “Gouvernement” (rule, government) gradually took shape, and after several evolutions, it was gradually replaced by “government” or “rule.“ After the revival of its original meaning, contemporary political scientists and sociologists have redefined “governance” from the perspective of their disciplines, leading to significant changes in its connotation and extension, far beyond its traditional classic definition. -
Chapter 4. Shanghai Model: Community-Based Service Integration
Liwen HouDelve into the historical evolution of Shanghai's innovative social governance, particularly the 'Shanghai Model,' which has been advancing in tandem with Pudong's development. This chapter explores the three stages of community governance in Shanghai, from the initial stage in the 1990s to the proactive behavior seen after 2010. Learn about the 'two-level government, three-level management' system and how it initially formed the national basic management unit. Discover the role of grid management in solidifying the 'Shanghai Model' and its advantages in integrating community resources and improving social management efficiency. The text also discusses the challenges and dilemmas faced in grassroots governance and the new round of reforms aimed at innovating social governance and strengthening grassroots construction. Gain insights into the core of the Shanghai Model, which focuses on 'cooperative co-governance' based on 'government-society division of labor,' and understand the organic integration of party building and social governance. Explore the practical logic and innovative practices embedded in the new era Shanghai experience in grassroots social governance.AI Generated
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AbstractThe innovative practice of grassroots social governance in Shanghai has been advancing in sync with the development and opening up of Shanghai's Pudong New Area (hereinafter referred to as “Pudong”). The development and opening up of Pudong, which began in the 1990s, is undoubtedly a milestone decision in Shanghai's modernization development and reform and opening-up endeavors. Over the past two decades of development and opening up, Pudong's economic and social construction has achieved tremendous success, rapidly transforming from a rural-dominated marginal suburb into a modern new urban area. These changes have further posed new requirements and challenges for social governance and construction, especially grassroots social governance. -
Chapter 5. The Shift of Social Governance Focus and Service Integration Practice
Liwen HouThis chapter delves into the 'Doorstep' service model implemented in Pudong New Area, focusing on its innovative approach to grassroots social governance. The text outlines the three-stage advancement process of the 'Doorstep' service, from systematic planning to comprehensive promotion and improvement. It highlights the integration of system, functional, and autonomous co-governance elements, demonstrating how the model addresses the 'last mile' problem in service delivery. The chapter also explores the practical achievements and logical tensions of the 'Doorstep' service, providing insights into its effectiveness and areas for further development. Additionally, it compares the 'Doorstep' service with Xuhui's 'Neighborhood Hub' model, offering a broader perspective on social governance innovation in urban communities. The text concludes with a discussion on the integration and dilemmas of 'Neighborhood Hub' governance innovation, emphasizing the importance of clear top-level design and the effective use of governance resources.AI Generated
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AbstractThe “Doorstep” service is a highlight livelihood project in Pudong New Area in 2017, representing an innovative integrated service paradigm in grassroots social governance. It is a response to General Secretary Xi Jinping's call for “adhering to a people-centered development philosophy, focusing on promoting social governance innovation, and enhancing the refined management level of megacities.“ It is also a key measure to implement the “1 + 6” documents of the Municipal Party Committee and the spirit of the 11th Congress of the Communist Party of China in Shanghai. -
Chapter 6. Integration Practices of Social Organizations Participating in Grassroots Governance
Liwen HouThis chapter delves into the integration practices of social organizations in grassroots governance, focusing on their strategic position and governance functions in the new era. It explores the structural optimization and governance innovation of these organizations, highlighting their role in social services and governance. The text also examines the challenges faced by social organizations, including issues of legitimacy, credibility, and resource dependency. Additionally, it introduces the concept of new social organizations, discussing their characteristics, development principles, and their role in social governance. The chapter concludes with a discussion on the future directions for social organizations, emphasizing the need for policy support, professional development, and the cultivation of new social organizations to enhance their governance functions and contribute to the modernization of social governance.AI Generated
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AbstractWith the accelerated advancement of China's social and economic system transformation, the state's attention to the social field is increasing day by day, and the role of social organizations is increasingly highlighted. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, innovative social governance has become a powerful driving force for promoting sustainable social development and has clearly proposed to fully leverage the positive role of social organizations in social governance, enhance their ability to participate in public services and grassroots governance, and accelerate the construction of a modern social organization system characterized by the separation of government and society, clear rights and responsibilities, and legal autonomy. The 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China clearly proposed to create a social governance pattern of co-construction, co-governance, and sharing, promoting the participation of multiple entities in social governance practices, strengthening the construction of social governance systems, and improving the socialization, legalization, intelligence, and specialization of social governance. It also proposed accelerating the separation of government and society, stimulating the vitality of social organizations, overcoming the tendency of administrativeization of social organizations, and further shifting the focus of social governance to the grassroots level, leveraging the role of social organizations to achieve a positive interaction between government governance and social regulation, and residents’ self-governance. In 2017, the Ministry of Civil Affairs issued the “Opinions on Vigorously Cultivating and Developing Community Social Organizations” (hereinafter referred to as the “Opinions”), proposing overall requirements and deployment for cultivating and developing community social organizations. It is evident that reforming and optimizing the governance functions of social organizations is of significant value and importance for promoting the transformation of government functions and collaborative governance between government and society. It is an important part of deepening the reform of Party and state institutions and advancing the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity. The “Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Deepening the Reform of Party and State Institutions” in 2018 emphasized the need to stimulate the vitality of mass organizations and social organizations and promote the reform of social organizations. This clearly Chapter 6: Integration Practices of Social Organizations Participating in Grassroots Governance 105 proposed the necessity, urgency, and reality of reforming the social organization system in the new era. -
Chapter 7. Grid Management and Open Blocks: Two Paradigms of Governance Integration
Liwen HouThis chapter delves into the evolution of urban grassroots social governance in China, focusing on two key paradigms: grid management and open blocks. It explores the transition from unit-based to community-based systems, highlighting the coexistence and interplay between units and communities. The text analyzes the conceptual differences and logical divergences between grid management and the separation of residence and station, discussing their internal concepts, operational logic, and real dilemmas. It also reflects on the functional myths and potential paths for grassroots social governance innovation. Additionally, the chapter examines the historical origins, global patterns, and debates surrounding gated communities, discussing their impact on urban planning, social management, and community governance. It concludes by exploring the challenges and responses to the 'closed effect' of gated communities, offering insights into the future of urban social governance.AI Generated
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AbstractWith the establishment of the market economy system, the grassroots social system, which was primarily based on the unit system and supplemented by the street-residence system embedded in the planned economy system, gradually disintegrated. The grassroots social system, which is compatible with the market economy system and primarily based on the community system, emerged. At the interface of the transition period, two management patterns appeared in urban grassroots society. One is that units still play an important role in social management, acting as the main role of actual grassroots managers, and the unit system remains prominent in the post-unit era. The other is that communities have come to the forefront of grassroots social governance, having a foundational position in social governance innovation, becoming the background field for multiple subjects to play roles in grassroots governance, and gradually playing important social governance functions in various types of community forms (unit communities, commercial housing communities, etc.). Units and communities coexist, with units handling major affairs and governance matters, communities handling minor affairs and also major affairs, and more regional matters. -
Chapter 8. Project-Based and Technical Governance: Grassroots Social Governance's Integration Challenges and Structural Dilemmas
Liwen HouThis chapter delves into the complexities of grassroots social governance, focusing on the integration challenges and structural dilemmas arising from project-based and technical governance approaches. It highlights the role of public bidding projects in community governance, particularly in Pudong New Area, Shanghai, and examines the dilemmas faced in service procurement, social organization participation, and the professionalization of community workers. The text also explores the tension between technical governance and community needs, emphasizing the importance of balancing efficiency with responsiveness to residents' needs. It provides a detailed analysis of the practical challenges encountered in public bidding projects, such as the suspension of residents' needs, organizational issues, and the lack of integration in services. Additionally, it discusses the role of social organizations in community governance, their professional function limits, and the difficulties faced by professional social service organizations in entering and establishing themselves in local communities. The chapter also touches on the unexpected consequences of career advancement for community workers and the gap in urban and rural community development and services. Overall, it underscores the need for a more integrated and community-centered approach to governance and service innovation.AI Generated
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AbstractThe project system is a core mechanism in current grassroots social governance and an important institutional arrangement in the national governance system. It is an improvement and supplement to the government's bureaucratic system in the new era, a continuation and expansion of the national power construction in the new period in terms of system and mechanism (Jiao Changquan). In 2019, the aim was “to break through the constraints of the original bureaucratic system represented by the unit system through means such as special transfer payments from the national treasury, to curb the differentiation effects caused by the market system, and to increase effective investment in livelihood projects and public services” (Qu Jingdong 2012).It is evident that “the project system is not only a system but also a mechanism that can make the system operate actively; at the same time, it is more of a mindset that determines how the state, social groups, and even individuals construct strategies and tactics for decision-making and action” (Qu Jingdong 2012). -
Chapter 9. Governance Community: Construction of Community-Based Integrated Service Model
Liwen HouThis chapter delves into the construction of a community-based integrated service model for grassroots social governance, focusing on the challenges and strategies for effective community governance in the new era. The text highlights the importance of strengthening and innovating social governance, with a particular emphasis on the role of party building and social organizations. It explores the dilemmas in current grassroots social governance, such as fragmentation and atomization, and provides strategies for advancing community governance integrated services. The chapter also discusses the need for a community-based approach to governance, emphasizing the importance of resident-centered services and the integration of various governance entities. Additionally, it examines the role of technology in community governance and the need for a balanced approach to vertical and horizontal order coordination mechanisms. The text concludes with a call for a joint participation and democratic consultation process to achieve a governance structure in the community field, ultimately promoting the construction of a community governance community.AI Generated
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AbstractThe Fourth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China proposed that “social governance is an important aspect of national governance. It is necessary to strengthen and innovate social governance, improve the social governance system led by the Party committee, with government responsibility, democratic consultation, social coordination, public participation, legal protection, and technological support, and build a social governance community where everyone has responsibilities, fulfills responsibilities, and enjoys benefits.“ Thus, the concept of community is linked to the academic field's research on “community” and the practical promotion of “community,” attempting to integrate and unify the “community as a national governance unit” and the “community as a regional social life community.“ The exploration in practice also provides important inspiration and experience, especially since the release of the “No. 1 Project” by the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee, Shanghai's exploration in grassroots community governance has initially formed a model of grassroots social governance that features positive interaction between government governance, social regulation, and residents’ autonomy, as well as community-based optimization of residents’ (village) life. -
Backmatter
- Title
- The Integrated Service in Urban Community Governance
- Author
-
Liwen Hou
- Copyright Year
- 2025
- Publisher
- Springer Nature Singapore
- Electronic ISBN
- 978-981-9667-75-8
- Print ISBN
- 978-981-9667-74-1
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-96-6775-8
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