ADMINISTRATIVE REFORM IN A CHANGING POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT - THE CASE OF HONG-KONG

Since 1989, the Hong Kong government has implemented a programme of pu blic sector reform that is based on the principles of 'new public mana gement'. The reforms initially focused mainly on financial management reform, including delegating responsibilities for resource allocation; re-defining the roles of the central resource branches; setting up tr ading funds in departments that provide services directly to the publi c; and instilling a new corporate culture of service throughout the go vernment. Some progress has been made in implementing the reforms. In 1993, the government realized that further civil service reform was ne cessary to support the reforms. The government proposed to delegate mo re authority to department heads on personnel matters; give managers m ore freedom to manage personnel; and simplify personnel regulations an d procedures. These 'new public management'-type reforms are usually a ssociated with stable, relatively unchanging environments. In Hong Kon g, however, the reforms have been proposed and carried out in an envir onment of considerable political turbulence which has both facilitated and hindered their implementation. Because of the declining legitimac y of the colonial government, British authorities may not have the pol itical capacity to implement the reforms. Opposition from both departm ent heads and civil service unions to aspects of the reforms has alrea dy emerged.