Factors influencing cross-departmental collaborative performance: evidence from 452 water governance cases in Guangzhou, China

In addressing complex public issues, cross-departmental collaboration encounters challenges that require identification of factors critical to its effectiveness. This study collected data from 452 cases of water governance in Guangzhou using systematic sampling methods, and empirically examined three major perspectives on cross-departmental collaborative performance in them. Modeling results revealed a significant and positive correlation between leaders’ attention to water environmental governance and cross-departmental collaborative performance. Conversely, power fragmentation negatively impacted performance. Greater public participation in water environmental governance was significantly associated with improved cross-departmental performance. This study comprehensively assesses the collaborative performance by incorporating process-oriented and outcome-based dimensions for systematic examination of underexplored questions of horizontal cross-departmental collaboration, going beyond the scope of prior research, which has primarily centered on cross-regional collaboration. Moreover, it offers a refined analytical framework incorporating internal bureaucratic factors and external forces, with an emphasis on the role of public involvement as an independent factor for shaping collaboration. This study contributes to the theoretical understanding of cross-departmental collaborative performance in the Chinese context as a developing country that faces obstacles in decentralized and uncoordinated water governance structures.