Title :
The Role of ICTs in Adaptive and Persistent Authoritarianism: A Study of China at the Administrative Division Level
Author :
Qinfeng Zhu ; Skoric, Marko M.
Author_Institution :
Nanyang Technol. Univ., Singapore, Singapore
Abstract :
This study examines how the Chinese government adapts to the challenges posed by information and communication technologies (ICTs) by strengthening state capacity. Using secondary data, we quantitatively examine the relationship between ICT infrastructure and usage, public service delivery, and political control across 30 first-level administrative divisions in China. The results show that, on the one hand, administrative divisions with well-developed ICT infrastructure and high social media penetration are more likely to receive better public service than those with under-developed ICT infrastructure and low social media penetration. On the other hand, administrative divisions with good ICT infrastructure are found most likely to be subjected to greater political control. Furthermore, the government´s provision of public services positively correlates to its implementation of political control. Such correlation seems to be stronger among the divisions with advanced ICT development than among the rest.
Keywords :
government data processing; information technology; China; Chinese government; ICT infrastructure; adaptive authoritarianism; administrative division level; advanced ICT development; high social media penetration; information and communication technologies; low social media penetration; persistent authoritarianism; political control; public service delivery; Economics; Electronic government; Internet; Media; Sociology; Statistics;
Conference_Titel :
System Sciences (HICSS), 2014 47th Hawaii International Conference on
Conference_Location :
Waikoloa, HI
DOI :
10.1109/HICSS.2014.273