From "Policy Silos" to "Talent Ecosystem": A Study on the Synergistic Governance Shift of Local Urban "Attraction, Cultivation, Retention, and Utilization" Policy Chains

Abstract

In the current era of "white-hot" regional talent competition, the talent policy systems of local cities are undergoing a profound paradigm shift. However, the phenomenon of "policy silos" under traditional bureaucracy remains severe. Various functional departments act independently in the "attraction, cultivation, retention, and utilization" (ACRU) stages of talent work, leading to broken policy chains, resource misallocation, and internal friction of efficacy. Focusing on this governance dilemma and using "talent ecosystem" theory as a lens, this paper constructs an analytical framework for the synergistic governance shift from "policy silos" to a "talent ecosystem." This study employs qualitative research methods, conducting a "thick description" of a typical case of a late-developing, catch-up local city (City C), supplemented by policy text coding and semi-structured interviews. It systematically reveals four typical representations of "policy silos" on the ACRU chain: "link silos" (prioritizing attraction over retention), "supply-demand silos" (decoupling of cultivation and utilization), "departmental silos" (fragmented governance by multiple bodies), and "talent-industry silos" (separation of human capital and industrial development). The study argues that the core essence of achieving this governance shift lies in promoting four transformations: a conceptual shift from "element management" to "habitat cultivation," a value shift from "government-centric" to "talent-centric," a structural shift from "linear segmentation" to "networked synergy," and a model shift from "sole dominance" to "multi-actor co-governance." Finally, from the perspective of governance reconstruction, this paper proposes four core pathways to realize this shift: constructing a "holistic" synergistic governance hub, re-engineering a "closed-loop" policy operational process, innovating "precision" industrial embedding tools, and establishing a "long-cycle" ecosystem evaluation orientation. This study aims to provide theoretical insights and practical guidance for local cities to overcome the "fragmentation" dilemma in talent policy and build high-level talent ecosystem.