The Public Sector In Hong Kong Second Edition

This book describes and analyses the role of the public sector in the often-charged political atmosphere of post-1997 Hong Kong. In this second edition, Ian Scott explores public sector accountability in terms of Hong Kong’s constitutional framework and the structure, functions, and personnel policies of its civil service system. He examines critical issues facing the administration of the public sector and the formulation and implementation of public policy with particular attention to the political challenges confronting the Hong Kong government over the past decade. A concluding chapter assesses how contested values in a changing political environment have affected the public sector in recent years. This edition has been fully updated to incorporate the latest statistics and research, including Scott’s work in such areas as integrity management, corruption prevention, and policing. This book is an essential resource for scholars and students of public administration and public policy in Hong Kong and more broadly for those who are interested in how a particular jurisdiction deals with common administrative problems such as centralisation, the role of statutory bodies, corruption prevention, and the redress of citizens’ grievances. ‘Professor Ian Scott’s book, The Public Sector in Hong Kong, now in a second much-expanded and up-to-date edition, offers a thorough and rigorous analysis of contemporary governance in Hong Kong, focusing on all the key stakeholders. The book is essential reading for government officials, politicians, journalists, academics, students, and the general public.’ —John P. Burns, The University of Hong Kong ‘The second edition not only updates the development in the public sector of Hong Kong, but also provides an important perspective to help readers understand the contexts that navigate its latest developments. This edition, along with Ian Scott’s earlier work, will be judged by many in the field to be among the best books on Hong Kong politics.’ —Hon S. Chan, City University of Hong Kong

This title describes the present political system and development in Hong Kong. The second edition assesses the main strands of continuity and change in Hong Kong's government and politics since the creation of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in 1997.

This title describes the present political system and development in Hong Kong. The second edition assesses the main strands of continuity and change in Hong Kong's government and politics since the creation of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in 1997.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of the organization, problems, issues and prospects of the civil service in Hong Kong. It examines the origin and development of the civil service, efforts to deal with the changes before and after the transition, and the process of managing public services with references to its changing role and responsibilities. The book will be of interest to academics, civil servants, professionals and students, as well as researchers interested in the role of civil servants in changing societies, and can be used for teaching courses on public administration and Asian studies.

This title was first published in 2000: The management of public services is becoming an increasingly difficult task. Demands are increasing while funds appear to be decreasing, but quality of service must remain high. New services are required, demands have to be faced, activities don't always go according to plan and problems emerge in unexpected places and at unusual times; and public managers are expected to deal with these deviations from their regular work patterns. While some activities are concrete in nature and can be seen, such as medical care and education, others are obscured from public view. With governments emphasizing areas that produce visible and quantifiable results, they often neglect the intangible services that must also be provided to the public. Poor performance in these areas can contribute to major crisi in public organizations. This volume examines four case studies in the context of the changing political and social environment of the new Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. The use of these cases from the public sector in Hong Kong will hopefully help readers to understand the difficulties faced by modern governments in providing basic services to the public.

In both the literal and metaphorical senses, it seemed as if 1970s America was running out of gas. The decade not only witnessed long lines at gas stations but a citizenry that had grown weary and disillusioned. High unemployment, runaway inflation, and the energy crisis, caused in part by U.S. dependence on Arab oil, characterized an increasingly bleak economic situation. As Edward D. Berkowitz demonstrates, the end of the postwar economic boom, Watergate, and defeat in Vietnam led to an unraveling of the national consensus. During the decade, ideas about the United States, how it should be governed, and how its economy should be managed changed dramatically. Berkowitz argues that the postwar faith in sweeping social programs and a global U.S. mission was replaced by a more skeptical attitude about government's ability to positively affect society. From Woody Allen to Watergate, from the decline of the steel industry to the rise of Bill Gates, and from Saturday Night Fever to the Sunday morning fervor of evangelical preachers, Berkowitz captures the history, tone, and spirit of the seventies. He explores the decade's major political events and movements, including the rise and fall of détente, congressional reform, changes in healthcare policies, and the hostage crisis in Iran. The seventies also gave birth to several social movements and the "rights revolution," in which women, gays and lesbians, and people with disabilities all successfully fought for greater legal and social recognition. At the same time, reaction to these social movements as well as the issue of abortion introduced a new facet into American political life-the rise of powerful, politically conservative religious organizations and activists. Berkowitz also considers important shifts in American popular culture, recounting the creative renaissance in American film as well as the birth of the Hollywood blockbuster. He discusses how television programs such as All in the Family and Charlie's Angels offered Americans both a reflection of and an escape from the problems gripping the country.

The four dragons of Asia - Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan and South Korea - have achieved remarkable progress over the past decades. These newly industrialising countries (NICs) have emerged as major actors on the world economic scene. Their success can be attributed to a number of factors related to historical background, relationship with China, pattern of governance and performance of administrative, political and economic institutions. This book examines the role of public administration in the accomplishments of the NICs and identifies potential areas of challenge for the dragons.