Women Hold Up Half the Sky: How Digital Technology Applications Empower Women's Leadership in Collective Action: Evidence from Human Settlements Governance Practice in Rural China

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2024

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This study investigates the role of digitalization in enhancing women's leadership for improved rural living environments through public goods governance. Drawing upon a dataset of over 3,000 respondents from rural areas, results from empirical tests confirm the following hypothesis: (1) digitalization has a superior capacity to promote collective action, (2) women's leadership exhibits enhanced effectiveness in fostering collective action, and (3) digitalization reinforces the positive influence of women's leadership on collective action. Moreover, employing the Social-Ecological System (SES) framework, six SES framework variables, including demonstration effect and social networks, are established to explore the mechanisms through which digitalization empowers women's leadership to enhance collective action in public goods governance. By providing empirical evidence and a theoretical framework, this study highlights the transformative potential of digitalization in empowering women leaders to mobilize resources, facilitate collaboration, and engage diverse stakeholders in governing rural living environments. This study aims to elucidate these underlying mechanisms and advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to gender equality, sustainable urbanism, and community development. The research carries implications for policymakers, practitioners, and scholars interested in harnessing digitalization and gender-responsive approaches to promote effective public goods governance and sustainable development in rural areas.

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public management

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