Social Sciences in China (Chinese Edition)

No. 3, 2025

Grassroots Policy Implementation in the Context of Institutional Complexity

(Abstract)

Wang Shizong and Yang Yu

By deconstructing multiple institutional logics within the Chinese context and refining the ideal-type model of institutional systems, a theoretical explanatory framework can be constructed to illustrate the interplay among institutional complexity, organizational coping strategies, and policy implementation methods. Within this framework, strategies such as hybridization, mobilization, and segmentation—adopted by grassroots organizations to address institutional complexity—are delineated, alongside the mechanisms governing the selection of corresponding policy implementation methods. This approach provides a preliminary holistic explanation for an array of seemingly disparate implementation practices and isolated concepts. While institutional complexity cannot be eradicated, effective mediation of conflicts between institutional logics can significantly mitigate its adverse effects or amplify its constructive contributions to grassroots policy implementation, thereby bolstering its role as a reliable pillar of national governance. Introducing institutional complexity into grassroots policy implementation research not only contributes to the development of China’s independent policy science knowledge system but also represents an effort to demonstrate the theoretical confidence of Chinese social sciences to the world.