Dynamics in network governance of infrastructure public-private partnerships: evidence from four municipalities of China

ABSTRACT

In public administration studies, public-private partnerships (PPPs) networks remain insufficient in terms of more advanced network measures and dynamic evolution. To address this issue, this study uses the infrastructure PPPs of four municipalities in China (Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai and Chongqing) as examples, and builds collaborative networks to illustrate the dynamic evolutionary roles of participants. Depending on PPPs management policies of China, infrastructure PPPs networks were divided into three stages along with three governance patterns: government-led network, third-party-led network and construction entity-led network. The findings provide implication for the government sectors to engage in public service delivery and make governance strategies.

KEYWORDS:

• Infrastructure public-private partnerships
• network governance
• collaboration networks

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [71972018; 71774023; 72134002]; Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities [2021CDJSKJC02; 2022CDJSKPY13; DUT22RW309]; Key Projects of Philosophy and Social Sciences Research, Ministry of Education [21JZD029; 21JZD034].