Replication Data for: How central policy signals promote the implementation of public–private partnership policies: An empirical analysis of 257 prefecture-level cities in China

This study explores how the signals sent by policy central government policy impacted the adoption of public–private partnership (PPP) models by local governments in Chinese cities from 2012 to 2021. Against expectation, strong central signals do not consistently drive PPP adoption; instead, weaker signals tend to promote it. The influence of central signals is more pronounced in cities that have higher marketization levels, especially those in the eastern region, led by older leaders, in large or mega cities, and having high openness and many private enterprises. Provincial signals exert greater influence on PPP adoption relative to central ones, which serve as conduits for central policies to innovate PPP at the local level, thus highlighting the significance of intergovernmental relations. These insights deepen our understanding of PPP implementation in developing economies and under authoritarian governments, thus advancing our understanding of signaling theory.