With the acceleration of urbanization, traditional urban governance models encounter challenges such as fragmentation, inefficiency, and insufficient participation. The property city model emerges as a potential solution to these issues. Utilizing empowerment theory, this study conducts a comparative multi-case analysis to thoroughly investigate the feasible implementation mechanisms and inherent logic of the property city model. The research reveals that the feasibility of various property city models is rooted in the cross-empowerment among three principal actors: government, enterprises, and citizens. The government provides structural empowerment through institutional supply and functional integration, addressing the fragmentation inherent in traditional governance. Enterprises facilitate resource empowerment through technological innovation and process reengineering, thereby overcoming inefficiencies in conventional urban governance. Citizens promote collaborative empowerment by articulating their needs and exercising their rights, thus addressing the lack of participation in urban governance. The fundamental mechanism underpinning the feasibility of the property city model is the functional complementarity resulting from the empowerment processes of these three parties: the hierarchical authority of the government ensures the legitimacy of governance direction; the market efficiency of enterprises imparts flexibility to governance methods; the social vitality of citizens ensures the accuracy of governance response. Through this functional complementarity, these three actors achieve governance effectiveness that surpasses that of any single groups. The research confirms that the property city model provides a feasible path for solving the problems of traditional urban governance and promoting governance modernization, and has important reference significance for building a governance pattern of co construction, co governance and sharing.

Jiahao Mei, Rongrong Zhou. The Feasibility Mechanism of the Property City Model: A Multi-Case Analysis under the Guidance of Empowerment Theory. Academic Journal of Business & Management (2026), Vol. 8, Issue 2: 129-136. https://doi.org/10.25236/AJBM.2026.080217.

[1] Li Zhijie. Holistic Regional Governance: A New Pathway for Effective Urban Renewal Practices—The Case of W City's “Property City” Development [J]. Journal of Tianjin Administration Institute, 2025, 27(03):34-42.

[2] Zhang Tian. Hengqin's “Property City” — Advancing Toward a Shared Urban Governance Community in a Context of Multi-Stakeholder Integration and Collaborative Governance [J]. Special Zone Economy, 2022, (07):35-39.

[3] Meng Yanchun, Zhao Li. Research on Integrated Urban Service Governance Models: A Multi-Case Analysis Based on Urban Service Enterprises [J]. Urban Development Studies, 2023,30(09):18-26.

[4] Sun Mengmeng, Lin Haiqiong. Practical Reflections on “Property City” as a Catalyst for Urban Management: The Case of Futian District, Shenzhen [J]. Housing and Real Estate, 2023, (28):15-19.

[5] Lu Liang. Exploring the “Property City” Governance Model in Jianghan District, Wuhan [J]. China Property Management, 2024, (06):68-70.

[6] Zhao Shen. Research on Pathways for “Property City” to Promote Modernization of Urban Governance: An Empirical Analysis Based on Shenzhen [J]. Urban and Rural Development, 2024, (01):72-74.

[7] Lin Zhiwei. Decoding the Development Path of Property City Services[J]. Urban Development, 2022, (10):20-21.

[8] Lin Nan, Xi Youmin, Liu Peng. Research on the Dynamic Empowerment Mechanism of Industrial Internet Platforms: A Case Study of Ouyi Cloud Commerce [J]. Foreign Economies and Managemen, 2022,44(09):135-152.

[9] Thomas K W, Velthouse B A. Cognitive Elements of Empowerment: An "Interpretive" Model of Intrinsic Task Motivation[J]. Academy of Management Review, 1990, 15(4).

[10] Spreitzer G M. Social structural characteristics of psychological empowerment[J].Academy of Management Journal, 1996, 39(2): 483-504.

[11] Bandura A. Self-efficacy: toward a unifying theory of behavioral change[J]. Advances in Behaviour Research & Therapy, 1977, 1(4):139-161.

[12] Zou Yongda. Research on Empowering Students' Mental Health and Pioneering New Approaches to Moral Education in the Context of the “Double Reduction” Policy [J]. Journal of the Chinese Society of Education, 2023, (S1):112-114.

[13] Li Zhen, Liu Yuling. Technology Empowerment: Literature Review and Research Prospects [J]. Comparative Economic and Social Systems, 2025, (04):189-199.

[14] Dai Xiangyu, Bu Fanshuai. Governance Information and Innovation Pathways for Local Government Digital Transformation: An Information-Empowerment Perspective [J]. E-Government, 2020, (05):101-111.