The Dragon, the Eagle, and the Private Sector

Public-Private Collaboration in China and the United States
Cover of book "The Dragon, the Eagle, and the Private Sector" with an image of a red dragon and a blue eagle.

The governments of China and the United States -- despite profound differences in history, culture, economic structure, and political ideology -- both engage the private sector in the pursuit of public value. This book employs the term collaborative governance to describe relationships where neither the public nor private party is fully in control, arguing that such shared discretion is needed to deliver value to citizens. This concept is exemplified across a wide range of policy arenas, such as constructing high speed rail, hosting the Olympics, building human capital, and managing the healthcare system. This book will help decision-makers apply the principles of collaborative governance to effectively serve the public, and will enable China and the United States to learn from each other's experiences. It will empower public decision-makers to more wisely engage the private sector. The book's overarching conclusion is that transparency is the key to the legitimate growth of collaborative governance.

This book provides a key to understanding how to achieve . . . quality public-private collaboration, done right. Delving deep into two very different societies. . . the authors provide lessons that illuminate and should inform scholars and policymakers alike.
Fareed Zakaria
Journalist and author
This is the rare book that is both analytic and a pleasure to read. It makes a lasting impression. It deserves a very wide readership among all those concerned about the future of the global economy.
Lawrence H. Summers
President Emeritus, Harvard University
Eggleston, Donahue, and Zeckhauser offer an authoritative and intriguing account of why and how collaborative governance. . . has been widely and deeply practiced in two vastly different countries, China and the US.
Yijia Jing
Fudan University