Influencing factors and their influencing mechanisms on urban resilience in China

With an increase in disturbance in cities, improving urban resilience has become a global consensus in order to achieve sustainable urban development. As the largest developing country in the world, China must improve its urban resilience to withstand various threats during its rapid development. Therefore, it is critical to identify key influencing factors and their influencing mechanisms on urban resilience in China. To achieve this objective, this study identified 12 key influencing factors through literature review and Delphi method under a 4R (i.e., robustness, rapidity, redundancy, and resourcefulness) framework, and used the DEMATEL and ISM methods to investigate their influencing mechanisms. The results indicate that: 1) Policy system is the most important cause factor and resource allocation is the most important effect factor; 2) Factors of resourcefulness are fundamental factors influencing urban resilience. Factors of robustness and rapidity are direct factors influencing urban resilience; 3) There are five influencing paths of influencing factors among the 4R dimensions. Resourcefulness could directly influence robustness, redundancy and rapidity. Redundancy could directly influence robustness and rapidity. In the end, three implications are proposed, including improving the policy system, strengthening the assessment of urban resilience, and integrating resilience concept into the urban system.

Automated summary

This study identified key influencing factors on urban resilience in China through literature review and expert consultation. The results showed that the policy system and resource allocation are the most important factors, with resourcefulness being a fundamental factor influencing urban resilience. The study also explored the influencing pathways among these factors.