From local government to local governance: A systematic literature review and future research agenda

Abstract

The shift from local government to local governance has become a pervasive trend globally. Yet, little attention has been devoted to systematisation of existing knowledge on local governance. To enhance the understanding of local governance in public administration, this article provides a systematic literature review of 141 articles published in leading public administration journals between 1990 and 2022. Six lines of study are identified, including community, power, partnership, participation, reform, and performance, and 10 propositions about these themes are summarised. Existing literature has transcended excessive optimism and simplistic views to respond to the complexity of local governance practice, whereas the findings show some complexity and variety, and there are still gaps to be filled. Future studies are expected to consider different contexts, refine the research methods, and shed light on the roles of non‐governmental organisations, the balance between public values and local autonomy, the impact of technological reform, and the interactions among multiple factors in local governance.Points for practitioners To ensure effective local governance, it is necessary to balance public sector modernisation with wider civic participation, and complement representative democracy with deliberative and participatory democracy, involving citizens in further processes of governance beyond voting. Local governance performance can be evaluated with indicators drawn from both processes and outcomes, including both development‐oriented and value‐based ones. Widely embraced strategies of local governance such as community governance, decentralisation, partnership, and public participation are not panacea and do not necessarily produce desired outcomes. The influencing factors in aspects of values, mechanisms, and instruments, the interactions among multiple factors, and the specific contexts deserve careful attention.