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2021 | Buch

Urban Governance in Transition

verfasst von: Hongshan Yang

Verlag: Springer Singapore

Buchreihe : Understanding China

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Über dieses Buch

This book offers readers a comprehensive introduction to the functions of the government in contemporary China. Further, it creates a framework to describe urban governance in today’s China, which consists of four basic modes: the omnipotent government mode, autonomous governance mode, integrated governance mode and cooperative governance mode.

The book defines a “city” as a gathering place for high-quality public service resources, and the basic task of urban governance is to provide high-quality public services and maintain the sustainability of fiscal revenues. By focusing on current “hot topics” in urban governance in China, including the institutional development of urban governance, model interpretation, city/county relationship, cross-border governance, cross-sectoral coordination, street management, community service provision, and municipal performance evaluation, it clarifies a number of common misunderstandings in the field of urban management and practice.

Lastly, the book analyses the current integrated governance model used in Chinese cities, which relies on the authority of the government and integrates the market and social subjects across borders by means of qualification identification, resource support, elite absorption, party-group embeddedness, and project cooperation. However, this model is currently facing several problems. In order to address the potential risks of integrated governance, the book argues that we need to develop new institutional arrangements based on collaborative governance.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Frontmatter
Chapter 1. Introduction
Abstract
Since the reform and opening up, social mobility has increased and the social control function of the work units has gradually declined as the marketization advances.
Hongshan Yang
Chapter 2. The Nature and Governance Mission of the City
Abstract
The city, considered as the product of human civilization and the man-made environment created by humans to get out of uncivilization and pursue a better life, plays a pivotal role in economic and social development as well as regional governance. Lewis Mumford, a scholar of urban research, commented that it took more than 5000 years for humans to gain a partial understanding of the nature and evolution of the city, and it might take longer to completely identify more characteristics that have not yet been discovered.
Hongshan Yang
Chapter 3. Institutional Changes of Urban Governance in China
Abstract
The municipality is a form of local administrative division, mainly used in urbanized areas. In the West, it originated in medieval Europe. Pirenne noted that an important feature of the medieval municipality is the rise of the class of citizen, and a set of special laws and independent urban organization system are developed. Under the special law system, the citizens enjoy privilege which separates them from the rural masses, which constitute substantial majority of the population.
Hongshan Yang
Chapter 4. Holistic Governance: An Explanatory Framework
Abstract
There are many actors of city management such as governments, enterprises, social organizations and residents, with different objectives and operation mechanisms. The governments, based on public value, operate mainly through top-down management—submissive mechanism. The enterprises are profit-oriented and runs under the market mechanism. Social organizations are managed in a self-organized manner and in the interests of the community. Residents are not only individual participants, but also play a role in an organized way. The researchers present different theoretical models for understanding the roles of these actors in urban policy decision-making and public service delivery.
Hongshan Yang
Chapter 5. City-County Relationship: Separated or Integrated Governance
Abstract
In recent years, the relationship between urban and rural areas has been one of the hot topics in the domestic academia of public administration, economics, sociology and geography. It is practically shaped by socio-economic development, government intervention and a series of institutional arrangements.
Hongshan Yang
Chapter 6. The Institutional Development of American Urban Cross-Regional Governance
Abstract
Under the American federal system, cities are established by states and are a type of subnational government. In the United States, principle of local self-government is adopted. Local governments there are divided into counties, municipalities, towns, special districts and school districts, totalling over 87,000.
Hongshan Yang
Chapter 7. Institutional Development of Urban Cross-Departmental Coordination
Abstract
The local governance in China is grounded in the unitary and centralized system. The central ministries and higher-level departments directly instruct local government departments through policy instruments, thus generating a honeycomb-like governance structure. The Constitution and local organic laws provide that local governments at all levels are responsible for implementing the decisions and orders of the higher-level state administrative organizations and handling other matters delegated by these organs.
Hongshan Yang
Chapter 8. Reform of Management System for Sub-district Offices
Abstract
As the community building progresses, China has seen changes in urban community-level governance structure. The sub-district offices and neighborhood committees continue to play important roles. In addition, property management companies, intermediary service agencies, community service centers and social organizations are increasingly essential to community governance. Of the multiple actors, the sub-district office coordinates the grass-roots government departments and their dispatched agencies to perform the functions of public service and social management.
Hongshan Yang
Chapter 9. Urban Community Service and Public Space Construction
Abstract
Community service is a concept of localization concerning urban development in China. In foreign urban management, it is rarely seen. Other concepts related to it include social service, social welfare service, community care, community care service, children and youth service, voluntary service, etc.
Hongshan Yang
Chapter 10. Comparison of the Systems of Municipal Performance Evaluation
Abstract
Municipal performance evaluation is an important part of urban governance innovation in China. As a management means, performance evaluation plays an important role in strengthening the sense of responsibility of administrative departments, improving the responsiveness and service efficiency of government, and making government departments close to the grassroots organizations and the masses.
Hongshan Yang
Backmatter
Metadaten
Titel
Urban Governance in Transition
verfasst von
Hongshan Yang
Copyright-Jahr
2021
Verlag
Springer Singapore
Electronic ISBN
978-981-15-7082-7
Print ISBN
978-981-15-7081-0
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-7082-7