Conference Agenda

1. Problem Statement and Purpose

Fragmented authority and weak coordination persist as fundamental challenges in grassroots governance worldwide. Mainstream collaborative governance theories predominantly advocate decentralized solutions, creating a theoretical blind spot regarding effective coordination within hierarchical systems. This study addresses this gap by examining China’s grid-based governance system, which achieves remarkable collaborative efficiency through institutional innovation despite its centralized structure. The research aims to deconstruct how this model reconfigures governance dynamics while maintaining political coherence, offering new theoretical insights for hierarchical systems globally.

2. Methodology

This study employs an original actor-rule-process analytical framework to systematically examine China’s grid governance. Empirical evidence was collected through in-depth case studies of six strategically selected cities representing regional diversity across China. The research combines qualitative analysis of policy documents with quantitative performance metrics from digital governance platforms.

3. Findings

The analysis reveals three transformative mechanisms: First, grassroots Party-building networks structurally integrate actors across state-society divides. Second, codified responsibility matrices institutionalize rule standardization for cross-agency collaboration. Third, embedded digital infrastructures optimize processes through unified dispatch platforms and real-time monitoring.

4. Proposal

The study proposes the actor-rule-process framework as a diagnostic tool for analyzing platform-based governance innovations beyond China. The Chinese model demonstrates how centralized systems can enhance service delivery through three actionable pathways: political mobilization networks, rule-based coordination mechanisms, and smart governance technologies. These findings suggest hierarchical systems need not decentralize to achieve effective collaboration, offering important implications for governance reform in similar political contexts.

This paper reimagines public leadership in response to today’s intersecting crises—climate change, migration, and democratic instability—by centering three core skills: soft power competencies, cross-cultural sensitivity, and inclusive decision-making. Drawing on a conceptual framework integrating adaptive, transformational, and servant leadership theories, the study argues for a transition from rigid, compliance-driven models to ones grounded in human-centered ethics and mission alignment. Uniquely, this paper incorporates insights from coaching and mentoring initiatives led by the Hellenic Institute of Training (INEP) of the National Centre for Public Administration & Local Government (EKDDA), showcasing how public leaders can cultivate the interpersonal and institutional capacities needed for legitimacy, trust, and responsiveness. The proposal urges that leadership development be redefined in public administration curricula and training programs to embed participatory values and intercultural fluency as core competencies.

The proposal draws on three overlapping leadership paradigms:

1. Adaptive Leadership – Navigating uncertainty with emotional resilience and strategic flexibility.

2. Transformational Leadership – Inspiring and mobilizing change through shared vision and values.

3. Servant Leadership – Prioritizing the growth and well-being of employees and citizens.

These are applied through the lens of:

• Soft Power: Non-coercive influence in bureaucratic systems.

• Cultural Intelligence: Leading across diverse social and administrative landscapes.

• Deliberative Governance: Inclusive processes for collective problem-solving.

Practice-Based Insights: The Greek Institute of Training (INEP)

INEP’s mentoring and coaching programs offer a valuable case of internal capacity building:

• Mentoring for Head of Departments/Directions and Civil Servants: Designed to instill ethical leadership and cross-sectoral awareness in mid-career civil servants.

• Coaching Circles for Directors Generals of public sector: Peer learning that emphasizes emotional intelligence, inclusivity, and decision-making under pressure.

• Curriculum Innovations: Programs increasingly integrate intercultural communication and citizen-centered service models.

These programs may serve as replicable models for public administration bodies seeking to translate leadership theory into practice.

Research Questions (Refocused)

1. How can soft power skills be operationalized in hierarchical civil service settings to enhance responsiveness?

2. What lessons can be drawn from INEP’s mentoring programs for cultivating people-centered leadership in public institutions?

3. How do coaching practices shape cultural sensitivity and inclusive decision-making among emerging public leaders?

4. In what ways can national training institutes reframe leadership development for public sector challenges?

Comprehensive elimination of rural poverty and ensuring and improving people's livelihood in the course of development are particularly important tasks in the Chinese government's governance of the country. After building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, absolute poverty in rural China has been fully eradicated, and valuable experiences have been gained in governing relative poverty in rural areas: First, establishing and improving a long-term mechanism for governing relative poverty in rural areas to achieve regularized governance; Second, promoting the effective integration of poverty alleviation and rural revitalization to achieve gradual governance; Third, following the path of urban-rural integrated development under socialism with Chinese characteristics to achieve inclusive governance; Fourth, strengthening practical cooperation in global poverty governance and participating in global poverty governance.