Understanding the evolution of public–private partnerships in Chinese e-government: four stages of development

Public–private partnerships have been widely applied in e-government development, contributing to new technologies’ adoption and e-government performance. PPP has also required and driven related managerial and organisational reforms. Progress in practice, however, has yet to be matched by increased research evidence and various research gaps remain. This study identifies and examines four stages of e-government development in China and the role of PPP – outsourcing, service co-delivery, joint management, and collaborative governance – which are linked to developments in digital technology and, more particularly, to changes in local governments’ views about the roles of technology and the contribution the private sector can make. The changing relationship between the public and private sectors in e-government has also led to gradually deepening engagement, more equal relationships and more mature mechanisms for collaboration, as well as better outcomes. At the same time, the partnerships continue to face challenges including distrust, inadequate managerial control, uncertain legal frameworks and less than optimal efficiency. Some of these are likely to relate to China’s unique “socialist market economy” and its political institutional arrangements.