Dancing on a tightrope: The reputation management of local governments in response to public protests in China

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore the characteristics of local government's reputation management in response to public protests under the dual pressure from higher‐level authorities and the public. This study connects reputation management theory to the literature on local governments in the dual pressure dilemma. By comparing three cases of how local governments respond to public protests against nuclear facilities in China, we conclude that different pressures perceived by local governments generate diverse behaviours of reputation management in response to public protests. If the perceived bottom‐up pressure is higher, local governments will focus on their moral reputation and make concessions to the public; if the perceived top‐down pressure is higher, local governments will build a performative reputation to meet the demands of higher‐level authorities and suppress public protests; if local governments face dual high pressures, they will comply with all normative procedures and avoid accountability to any party.

Impact of Local Official Corruption on Local Government Debt in China: The Mediating Role of Government Investment Efficiency

“…This will increase the criminal costs and psychological pressure associated with corruption among government officials. Dual supervision can force government officials to comply with all normative procedures and refuse corruption (Wei et al, 2021), making the fiscal expenditure budget more reasonable and reducing unnecessary expenditure, so that the expansion of debt can be curbed to a certain extent.…”

Government responsiveness and public acceptance of big-data technology in urban governance: Evidence from China during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Although TAM provides a useful analytical framework for understanding citizens' acceptance of ICT-based tools, it remains unclear how government actions during crisis shape citizens' perceptions, thereby improving the overall level of public acceptance. In other controversial technologies, such as nuclear power, city government activities in terms of how governments communicate with citizens as well as how they respond to public concerns and sentiments, have consequential effects on shaping citizens' attitudes ( Guo & Wei, 2019 ; Wei et al, 2020 ). In other policy areas during normal decisions, previous studies also find that local government behaviors can influence citizens' attitudes toward a policy measure ( Liu et al, 2018 ; Zhou & Dai, 2017 ).…”

Defusing environmental activism through scientific greening: Government framing strategy and its effects in China

“…Environmental activism refers to a process by which individuals take actions against particular environmental problems (Séguin et al, 1998). Although environmental activism is described as having “public good characteristics” (Lubell, 2002, p. 431), governments often see it as a challenge because they are under pressure to resolve environmental conflicts, particularly environmentally risky industrial projects (Wei et al, 2020). Thus, in response to environmental activism, governments have devised a rich tool kit—from negotiation and consensus building to compromise, repression, and reputation management (Göbel, 2021; Li et al, 2016; Wei et al, 2020).…”

“…Although environmental activism is described as having “public good characteristics” (Lubell, 2002, p. 431), governments often see it as a challenge because they are under pressure to resolve environmental conflicts, particularly environmentally risky industrial projects (Wei et al, 2020). Thus, in response to environmental activism, governments have devised a rich tool kit—from negotiation and consensus building to compromise, repression, and reputation management (Göbel, 2021; Li et al, 2016; Wei et al, 2020). Moreover, scholars have also noted the informational and communications aspect of the government's strategy to deal with environmental activism.…”