Building China's Service-oriented Government with the 'ACES' Model: Exploring Equity and Efficiency Principles in China's Public Administration

摘要

The ACES model (the three-pillars of public management) advanced by two Canadian authors,came into being amidst applauses and praises from academicians and professionals in the public management realm to the U.S-borne reinventing government theory advocating introduction of market mechanism and efficiency principles into public management. Through investigating the well-performing public agencies representing 14 countries,the authors concluded that public organizations are endowed with aims and missions that are different from those of the private sector,which are fairness and equity instead of profit-maximization,and thus market mechanisms don't really suit public agencies. Extrapolating from the successful experiences of the worldwide public agencies,they created the ACES model which they believe can apply to all public agencies striving for a balance between efficiency and equity: establishing a lofty Aim,cultivating free qualities of Character or people-centered attitude towards clients through interaction and mutual trust,and Execution or attainment of aim through appropriate management tools,plus a Socratic questioning attitude towards their services for continued improvement. Such a model finds ready application in China that is transforming from a market-oriented government to a service-oriented government. Under the influence of the New Public Management and re-inventing government theories,the Chinese public sector reforms have for the past two decades been characterized with economic priorities,with high efficiency as the main criterion of operation. Major public sectors like heath care and education have been successively marketized and filled with competitive entrepreneurial mechanisms,generating huge profits in these areas but meanwhile leaving millions of people unable to afford basic medical expenses and opportunities for education. Obviously,efficiency-charged marketization in these sectors has subsequently victimized the disprivileged groups,which go against the "three-represent" policies of the Party,and against the Party's intention to build a service-oriented government and a harmonious society. Against this background,the ACES model,which focuses on the specific priorities of the public sector,with rationality,reasonableness,equality,equity,responsibility and morality as the fundamental principles for public management,offers Chinese public managers a valid option for building towards a service-oriented government,and a harmonious thriving society.