Building Implementation Capacity for Collaboration: An Assessment of Watershed Eco-compensation Programs in China

Networks are necessary for solving many complex policy issues. The literature indicates that effective network administration produces better policy outcomes. Nevertheless, few studies elaborate why and how this happens. The relationship between network administration and outcomes is underspecified. Adopting a pathway case study method, this study explains this relationship by introducing an implementation capacity variable. We argue that effective network administration improves network implementation capacity needed for better policy outcomes. We specify that network implementation capacity consists of financial, technical, and managerial components. Using cases in two eco-compensation programs in China, we find evidence to support the formulation of the hypothesis. The results demonstrate the complex process in which network administrative strategies influence network implementation capacity and policy outcomes.