Fully leveraging the role of data elements is a powerful support for achieving high-quality economic and social development. Based on Information Ecology Theory, a data governance ecosystem was constructed from three dimensions such as information, information subjects and information environment. Using relevant index reports and statistical data from 2023, a fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis method was used to analyze the combined path impact of seven conditional variables which were data resource level, government digital attention, citizen digital needs, citizen digital literacy, government financial level, digital infrastructure and digital innovation capability on the performance in data governance of provincial-level governments in China. The results show that, from a single perspective, digital infrastructure is a key factor affecting the performance of high-level data governance. Low levels of data resources, low digital literacy of citizens and low digital innovation capabilities are important factors leading to the performance of low-level data governance. From the perspective of configuration conditions, there are six paths to generating the performance of high-level data governance, which can be further classified into three types, such as total-factor development type, resource-led type and environment-driven type. It is necessary to explore adaptation paths among multiple important elements for Provincial governments based on their own development conditions.

performance in data governance  /  information ecology theory  /  fsQCA