Institutional borrowing and chiefdomization in Chinese cities

Dados Bibliográficos

ID13135065
AutoresFeng Deng (0000-0002-8277-4848, Chongqing Technology and Business University, autor correspondente)
Ano2024
Volume4
Fascículo2
Páginas129-135
Data de publicação2024-05-09
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoUrban Governance (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 2664-3286 • E-ISSN: 2667-3800
EditoraElsevier BV (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1016/j.ugj.2024.04.002
OpenAlexW4396768185
IdiomaEN
Referências citadas11

The success of river chief system is spurring more types of chiefs in Chinese cities. This trend of chiefdomization can be viewed as a case of institutional borrowing: institutions in one field borrowing power from those in another field. In an authoritarian country, institutional borrowing often takes the form of imposing bureaucracy on natural resources and public goods, a change from open institutions to public institutions. It is argued that conditions for successful change include a collective “bad” being produced and severe mismatch between its consumer and producer. Several characteristics of the city make the institutional change difficult: people's high mobility, little mismatch between consumer and producer, difficulty in controlling open access as well as no physical collective good being produced. The case of chiefdomization in China illustrates the above analyses. Despite all the problems of chiefdomization, the trend may continue as long as bureaucracy remains a powerful institution in the country

Business · Economic geography · Economics · China's Socioeconomic Reforms and Governance · Demographic Trends and Gender Preferences · Urban and Rural Development Challenges