Hao Ren;

• 1:School of Public Administration
• 2: Hunan University

Abstract：

Policy uncertainty from higher levels of government is an important challenge for local governments' effectiveness. Based on organizational theory, this paper proposes that forming inter-governmental networks is a strategic choice for local governments coping with central government economic policy uncertainty. I empirically test this by using 2005—2019 data on provincial party secretary off-site visits as a proxy for inter-governmental networks. The results show:(1) Central government economic policy uncertainty significantly increases the frequency of provincial party secretaries' off-site visits;(2) Local governments' choices for coping with uncertainty are heterogeneous. Local governments without horizontal inter-governmental ties and with stronger governance capabilities are more likely to strengthen their network connections with other local governments to address central government economic policy uncertainty;(3) Provincial party secretaries' off-site visit positively moderate the relationship between economic policy uncertainty and firm innovation, demonstrating the effectiveness of intergovernmental networks in coping with uncertainty.

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Foundation: 国家自然科学基金青年项目“地方政府间非正式合作对国内市场一体化的影响:因果识别、机制分析与对策研究”(项目编号:72104074)的资助

Authors: Hao Ren;

References：

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• (1)本文的研究对象为全国31个省级行政区划单位(不包括港澳台)。为了便于表述,省委书记、直辖市市委书记以及自治区党委书记统称为省委书记。
• (2)“不确定性”关键词包括“不确定、不明确、不明朗、未明、难料、难以预计、难以估计、难以预测、难以预料、未知”;“经济”关键词包括“经济、商业”;“政策”关键词包括“财政、货币、证监会、银保监会、财政部、人民银行、国家发展和改革委员会、开放、改革、商务部、法律、法规、税收、国债、政府债务、央行、外经贸、关税、财政赤字”。
• (3)主要包括2010年上海世博会期间各省省委书记赴上海出席的本省活动周仪式。
• (4)主要包括四类年度多边会谈,即长三角地区领导人会谈、中部六省区领导人参与到中部论坛、东北四省区合作行政首长联席会以及泛珠三角区域合作行政首长联席会。
• (5)限于篇幅原因,省委书记异地考察网络图没有展示,如有需要可以向作者索取。
• (6)772次省委书记府际交流共包含1519份新闻报道,其中747次考察交流活动的双边报道,25次只搜集到单边报道,限于篇幅原因词频云图没有展示,如有需要可以向作者索取。
• (7)https://www.gov.cn/xinwen/2017-07/24/content_5213043.htm。