ABSTRACT

This study aimed to assess the extent of the implementation of local governance reforms on equity and inclusion in the delivery of public services in Zhuhai City. It employed an explanatory sequential mixed methods design to evaluate the impact of these reforms on public service delivery. The quantitative phase used surveys to collect broad perceptions across demographic groups, while the qualitative phase employed interviews and focus groups to explore underlying reasons and experiences. The integration of both phases provided a comprehensive understanding of the reforms, highlighting key areas for policy improvement and addressing challenges faced by marginalized groups. A total of 384 participants took part in the study, including 324 community residents and 60 community leaders. Data analysis showed that participants generally rated their participation in equity and inclusion in public service provision and the implementation of local governance reforms in Zhuhai as “great” across various dimensions, such as urban education services, public medical services, social security services, public culture and sports services, public security services, public facility construction services, and social assistance services. However, challenges remain in achieving full equity and inclusion in public service delivery, including rapid population growth and unequal resource distribution, insufficient integration of social governance and public services, high pressure on population mobility and public services, inadequate policy implementation and supervision, lagging smart construction, and insufficient application of digital intelligent technology. To address these challenges, the researcher proposed an implementation plan to enhance equity and inclusion, which includes promoting balanced population and economic development, integrating social governance with public services, improving public service supply, strengthening policy implementation and supervision, and accelerating the adoption of smart technologies.

Keywords: Delivery of public services, economic development, equity and inclusion, local governance reforms, social governance
https://doi.org/ 10.57180/tsjk7207