Volume 42, Issue 2 pp. 371-392
ORIGINAL ARTICLE

The evolution of mandated coordination in policy implementation: Evidence from China's central government agencies

Liang Ma

Liang Ma

School of Government Management, Peking University, Beijing, China

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Bin Chen

Corresponding Author

Bin Chen

The Austin W. Marxe School of Public and International Affairs, Baruch College & The Graduate Center, The City University of New York, New York, United States

Correspondence

Bin Chen, The Austin W. Marxe School of Public and International Affairs, Baruch College & The Graduate Center, The City University of New York, New York, USA.

Email: [email protected]

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Tom Christensen

Tom Christensen

Department of Political Science, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

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Weixing Liu

Weixing Liu

School of Government, University of International Business and Economics, Beijing, China

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First published: 20 February 2025
Citations: 3

Abstract

en

Policies are often mandated to be implemented by multiple agencies, and it is meaningful to explore the mechanisms and dynamics of interagency coordination. By employing structurally oriented theory from organization theory to analyze archival data, this study examines the structure and dynamics of mandated interagency coordination arrangements in China's central agencies (2005–2022). Given their intricacies, economic and social policies are the priorities of mandated coordination. The results show a dense and unbalanced coordination, in which powerful agencies dominate coordination. The results reveal that coordination across agencies has steadily increased over time despite intensive institutional mergers and consolidation.

摘要

zh

政策往往需要多个部门共同执行,并且探究部门间协调的机制和动态一事具有意义。本研究运用组织理论中的结构导向理论来分析档案数据,进而研究了2005-2022年间中国中央部门间协调安排的结构和动态。由于经济政策和社会政策的复杂性,它们成为协调的重点。研究结果显示,协调密集但不均衡,其中强势部门主导协调。结果显示,尽管存在密集的机构合并和整合,但跨部门协调会随时间推移而稳步增加。

Resumen

es

Las políticas suelen ser de aplicación obligatoria por parte de múltiples agencias, y es importante explorar los mecanismos y la dinámica de la coordinación interinstitucional. Mediante el empleo de la teoría de orientación estructural de la teoría organizacional para analizar datos de archivo, este estudio examina la estructura y la dinámica de los acuerdos de coordinación interinstitucional obligatorios en las agencias centrales de China (2005-2022). Dadas sus complejidades, las políticas económicas y sociales son las prioridades de la coordinación obligatoria. Los resultados muestran una coordinación densa y desequilibrada, en la que las agencias poderosas dominan la coordinación. Los resultados revelan que la coordinación entre agencias ha aumentado de manera constante con el tiempo a pesar de las intensas fusiones y consolidaciones institucionales.

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