Characterizing Stakeholders of Aging-in-Place through Social Network Analysis: A Study of Nanjing, China

Shenghua Zhou, S. Thomas Ng, Dezhi Li, Jiankun Zhang, Jie Fan and Yifan Yang
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Shenghua Zhou: Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China
S. Thomas Ng: Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China
Dezhi Li: Department of Construction and Real Estate, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
Jiankun Zhang: Department of Construction and Real Estate, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
Jie Fan: Department of Construction and Real Estate, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
Yifan Yang: Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 23, 1-19

Abstract: China currently has an elderly population of 249 million with over 97% of them ending up aging in place. Although various regional pilot programs have been conducted, a sustainable aging-in-place system has not been established to effectively and efficiently provide aging services in many cities of China. The characteristics of stakeholder networks in the aging-in-place systems have not attracted great attention from researchers. This research applies social network analysis to characterize the interactions of stakeholders in aging-in-place systems to facilitate cooperation and coordination amongst them. Using Nanjing as a case study, 23 stakeholders in Nanjing’s aging-in-place system are identified, such as the Aging Affairs Committee, Aging-in-Place Service Association, and aging-in-place service centers; and then the relationship networks of these stakeholders in terms of communication, supervision, and trust are developed and analyzed. The results show that the aging-in-place system suffers from certain defects, including the loose connection of government departments, redundant information channels, low trustworthiness of certain aging-in-place service centers, poor credibility of third-party training and assessment institutions, and excess power of the industry association. To tackle these issues, a wide spectrum of actionable measures applicable to Nanjing’s conditions, as well as high-level policy implications for other cities of China, are proposed for augmenting the communication, supervision, and trust among stakeholder groups.

Keywords: aging in place; stakeholder; social network analysis; China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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