Comparative Analysis of Public Sector Performance Across Regions in Russia and China

Abstract

The socio-economic disparities across Russia’s regions have raised scholarly interest in measuring public sector performance at the regional level. A comparative analysis with other countries can help identify effective development practices, offering valuable insights for addressing regional disparities in public sector performance through the adaptation of international experience. China, with its extensive regional development practices, offers a relevant point of comparison. However, current research lacks comprehensive, up-to-date evaluations of public sector performance in China by province, as well as comparative cross-national studies in this area. This study addresses that gap by proposing an assessment methodology based on a composite index constructed from 73 indicators for Russia and 76 indicators for China, covering socio-economic development in administrative-territorial units from 2014 to 2021. For each country, separate composite indices were calculated to assess public sector performance, along with sub-indices across eight key areas: security, healthcare, education, science and innovation, social support, sports and culture, transport, ecology, and economic development. Cities with central administrative status significantly outperform other regions in the rankings. The Gini coefficient reveals relatively low inequality in composite performance indices across regions in both countries. For Russia, the domains of healthcare, social support, sports and culture, and transport stand out as areas where adopting Chinese management practices could enhance regional development. The results offer guidance for policymakers seeking to reduce regional disparities and promote balanced socio-economic development in Russia. Future research will explore spatial relationships in regional development outcomes using Moran’s I and systematically examine Chinese best practices in the identified sectors.