The coherence between resource investment and performance for sustainable development goals in Taiwan cities: A hybrid influence analysis

Abstract

This study contributes to visualizing the complicated interrelationships among the sustainable development goals (SDGs) in Taiwanese cities' resource investment and performance under uncertainties. Taiwan faces bottlenecks and uncertainties in pursuing the SDGs due to the complex interrelationships among the SDGs. In particular, the lack of a comprehensive approach causes problems for governments in identifying whether resource investment and performance reach a coherent situation. To address this issue, this study proposes to use secondary data normalization, factor analysis and reliability testing for the validity and reliability of measures, performance‐resource analysis and the fuzzy synthetic method to translate qualitative information, as well as the decision‐making trial and evaluation laboratory to visualize the relationships. The study (1) establishes validation measures for resource investment and performance; (2) combines qualitative information and secondary data to understand the causal effects of the SDGs; and (3) provides directions for the government to improve the coherence of resource investment and performance. The findings show that SDG 3 has a strong effect on SDGs 11 and 9 and a moderate effect on SDG 8 to achieve the agenda. Guidelines are provided for resource‐poor counties/regions that could invest resources to achieve SDG 3. Many cities and counties are underperforming.