From “Heterogeneous Governance and Order” to “Isomorphic Governance and Order”: An Analysis of Global Governance Based on a Public Administration Perspective

Based on a macro-historical perspective and a broad view of governance, the concept of “isomorphic governance and order” represents the core of the discipline of public administration. In contrast, the notion of “heterogeneous governance and order” has stifled the development of global public administration, forming practice and theory under the assumption of utility and ignoring the hidden isomorphism of hegemonic control and thus resulting in a double-standard dilemma. The multidimensional aspects of isomorphism are reflected in the coordinated common structure among the global public political authority, public international law, and public administration, as well as in the balance between the global dimensions of national governance and the national aspects of global governance, thus exerting a counterforce on the global economic base and thereby alleviating the double-standard dilemma triggered by “heterogeneous governance and order.” The prospects for the discipline of public administration against the background of “isomorphic governance and order” lie in: preventing issues that should be resolved through consultation and cooperation from being inappropriately transferred to political and judicial arenas; improving foreign policy research on Chinese civil and commercial entities for their participation in global affairs; upholding the sovereignty of management of global public affairs and preventing global capital and private groups from eroding national sovereignty and security. By using qualitative research methods and grounded theory, we can further our knowledge of localized governance and explore the distinctive civilizational characteristics of governance, expanding the mission of public management theory and practice to encode global productivity and production relations, to promote “new technology + governance” and “governance + new technology,” and to introduce it into the pursuit of global inclusive development.