Mechanisms and Effects of Digital Technology Empowering Government Performance Management: A Case Study of Yuhang District, Hangzhou

Abstract

Government performance management is a key measure for modern countries to improve their governance system and governance capacity and realize long‑term stability. However, it faces practical dilemmas including unclear indicator systems, distorted information collection, and insufficient application of results. In recent years, the rapid development of digital technology has provided new solutions to these problems. Existing studies have widely discussed the empowering mechanisms and effects of digital technology. Yet most studies focus on single links such as indicator design, data collection, or performance evaluation. They lack a systematic explanation of how digital technology works in the whole process of performance management. Therefore, this paper builds a whole‑process analytical framework consisting of indicator construction, information collection, result generation, performance attribution, and achievement utilization. Taking the digital government practice in Yuhang District, Hangzhou as a case, this paper deeply analyzes the operational mechanisms of digital technology empowering government performance management. The study finds that digital technology effectively solves defects in traditional public sector performance management. These defects include static and rigid indicators, subjective and distorted data, oversimplified evaluation, vague attribution, and improper result application. Digital technology achieves these improvements through dynamic indicator construction, concomitant data collection, algorithm‑driven result generation, intelligent performance attribution, and implementable achievement utilization. Theoretically, this paper expands the whole‑process perspective for explaining digital‑enabled performance management. Practically, it provides a reference for local governments to promote intelligent performance governance.