Abstract:

Gatekeeping governance serves as a critical lens for examining the sustainability of innovation policies in China’s local governments. As a conceptual framework for understanding the dynamic logic of policy diffusion, it systematically influences the breadth and depth of policy dissemination. Drawing on the homology between Policy Process Theory and Gatekeeping Theory in communication studies, along with four case studies reflecting differentiated diffusion efficacy, this research reveals the mechanism and outcomes of gatekeeping governance in innovation policy diffusion. The study finds that local governments: 1) establish thresholds through legitimacy gatekeeping during the policy access phase, 2) screen policies compatible with local resources through efficacy gatekeeping in the adaptation phase, and 3) determine policy adoption methods through coordinative gatekeeping in the implementation phase. Diffusion efficacy manifests in various forms such as discontinued diffusion, obstructed diffusion, superficial diffusion, and deepened diffusion. Thus, gatekeeping governance, as a governance mechanism, is deeply embedded in local policy diffusion processes, reflecting the wisdom of local governments as active gatekeepers in balancing innovation risks and governance stability.

Key words: gatekeeping governance, innovation policy diffusion, local government, governance mechanism