Introduction: Resident participation has gained increasing prominence and significance in the pursuit of sustainable neighborhoods regeneration. However, the current state of resident participation practices remains beset by several challenges, which present formidable impediments to the initiation and execution of neighborhood regeneration initiatives. This study aims to investigate the underlying mechanisms of residents’ participation behavior to enhance resident participation in neighborhood regeneration projects. Methods: The present study employs the extended Information-Motivation-Behavioral (IMB) model to examine the determinants and mechanisms influencing residents’ willingness and participation in neighborhood regeneration projects, with a specific focus on the Chinese context. Drawing upon data from 477 meticulously validated questionnaires administered to residents, the study applies structural equation modeling (SEM) to unravel the intrinsic dynamics of residents’ participation behavior. Results: The empirical findings of this research reveal that information, motivation, and the perceived local government support all exert a significant impact on residents’ participation willingness. Notably, motivation emerges as the most influential factor. Discussion: This study uncovers a direct influence of local government organizations on both residents’ willingness and their actual participation, suggesting that government organizations can spearhead innovative strategies to bolster residents’ willingness and furnish avenues for translating willingness into tangible participation. The outcomes of this study furnish an indispensable theoretical framework and offer policy recommendations that hold paramount importance for the deployment of novel interventions geared toward stimulating active involvement of residents in neighborhood regeneration.@en

Neighborhood renewal is now an important approach to sustainable urban development in China. However, neighborhood renewal projects are often beset with social problems such as noncooperation from residents, which can be attributed to diverse interests and complex relationships among residents. However, there is little research on resident relations in China and intra-resident conflict. Based on social capital, this study provided a better understanding of resident relationships in neighborhood renewal in China. To this end, we developed a theoretical framework of residents’ multidimensional social capital (structural, relational, and cognitive). Then, a survey was conducted to collect data from 590 residents across China who were experiencing or had experienced neighborhood renewal. Structural equation modeling (SEM) and multiple indicators multiple causes (MIMIC) modeling were used. The results revealed positive effects of structural social capital on relational and cognitive social capital, and the mediation role of relational social capital was demonstrated. We also tested the effects of differences in sociodemographic characteristics. Our findings verify the explanatory power of social capital regarding residents’ complex relationships in neighborhood renewal in China. Implications for theory and policy are discussed. This study helps to improve our understanding of residents’ social systems in neighborhood renewal and provides theoretical support for formulating neighborhood renewal policies in China and abroad.

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The cooperative behavior of residents is complex and influenced by their complicated social relationships. This complexity is especially noticeable in neighborhood renewal, so the government does not know how to promote residents' cooperative behavior. Therefore, this study proposes an agent-based model (ABM) to investigate the development of residents' cooperative behavior in neighborhood renewal. Based on a questionnaire survey among residents of old neighborhoods in China, the parameters of ABM were determined in this study. Then, controlled experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of general trust among residents and government control of neighborhood renewal on cooperation patterns in renewal projects. In addition, this study examines the effects of different types of social network structures (small-world, scale-free, and random networks) on the evolution of residents' cooperative behaviors. The simulation results show that when residents' initial willingness to agree to renewal projects is high, their close social relationships need to be managed by the government to achieve better outcomes. Conversely, if initial willingness is low, residents' close relationships may pose a challenge to the government. In addition, government-led renewal projects should be encouraged to a greater extent. This study confirms that the different social network structures have an influence on the development of residents' cooperative behavior. The results of this study provide concrete evidence for understanding the factors that contribute to the emergence of residents' cooperative behavior and for studying the effects of government intervention on neighborhood renewal projects. In addition, the results of this study provide theoretical support for future studies of residents' social network structures.

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Off-site construction (OSC) is an innovative construction method. However, OSC is not widely applied in residential buildings due to many barriers. Therefore, this paper aims to unravel this puzzle and interpret the slow development of OSC. The paper develops a new analytical lens based on the ecosystem concept. By deconstructing some ecosystem concepts, the paper conceptualizes China’s residential building industry ecosystem (RBI-ECO) and proposes three hypotheses. The results show that the current structure of RBI-ECO does not support OSC development. Firstly, the performance of different types of enterprises is imbalanced. Secondly, there is a lack of cooperation between enterprises except for daily communication of projects. Moral risks, competition, and a fragmented supply chain are the primary causes. These barriers in RBI-ECO limit the implementation of OSC. In order to promote the application of OSC, the government can implement mandatory policies and concrete measures, establish a designer-led mechanism, motivate enterprises to transform into comprehensive enterprises, and enhance learning and education for OSC enterprise managers.@en