Study on Key Factors Influencing Coordination Effectiveness of Food Safety Coordinating Body: Lessons from the Chinese Context

Abstract

Many countries have established food safety coordination agencies to strengthen cooperation between government agencies. Due to different national conditions, there are differences in the coordination agencies of different countries, but there are also many similarities. This article studies the key factors influencing the coordination effectiveness of China’s food safety coordinating body, so as to enhance interagency collaboration. The results show that the coordination ability of the coordinating body’s head, the authority degree of the coordinating body, the clarity degree of the agency’s legal responsibility, and the clarity degree of the coordination goal are key factors influencing the coordination effectiveness. The conclusions indicate that the key factors influencing the coordination effectiveness of China’s food safety commissions are similar to the key factors in Western countries, without evident differences due to national situations, social systems, and cultures. This article will be useful to policymakers and public sector managers in terms of understanding which key factors influence the coordination effectiveness of coordinating agencies. Moreover, this study provides a perspective for the academic circle from which to understand the main problems faced in the interagency collaborative governance of food safety risks in China.