This study is designed to provide policy implications to promote cooperative relationships among local governments. A theoretical inquiry into intergovernmental cooperation was, first, made founded upon recent four models - Intergovernmental Relations...
This study is designed to provide policy implications to promote cooperative relationships among local governments. A theoretical inquiry into intergovernmental cooperation was, first, made founded upon recent four models - Intergovernmental Relations Model, Exchange Model, Negotiation Model, Co-productive Approach Model, Process Model of Cooperation. A survey questionnaire was then conducted for local civil servants to evaluate the performance and attribute of intergovernmental cooperative relations, with specific reference to newly reclassified cooperative projects. It is made clear that there exist great dissimilarities among different and even similar levels of local governments from the viewpoint of cooperative frequency, goal attainment, bargaining power, gains sharing, and cooperative attitudes. New policy implications were derived from the survey results, including the construction of cooperative foundations, the improvement of cooperative means and institutions, and the establishment of cooperative supporting systems. It is noteworthy that new means of cooperation such as Pre-agreement, Information Open Pooling and Management, Big Deal, Quota Allocation etc, as well as financial incentives are suggested to compensate shortcomings of the present cooperative system and promote cooperative relationships.