The comparative study of public sector downsizing: the general practices in the People's Republic of China

摘要

The aim of this article is to move the public management reform debate forward by focusing on public sector downsizing (PSD), usually viewed as one of the most striking but also negative aspects of the whole campaign, in which these and other issues and practices are drawing more and more research interest across a range of countries and systems. By examining the existing literature on the implementation of public sector downsizing both in developed and developing countries, outcomes and lessons from different practices with different approaches are critically evaluated, especially the public sector downsizing reform in China. The article argues for a strategic approach to efficient public sector downsizing, based on the diagnosis of specific political direction, the local culture, the underpinning social welfare mechanism, the economic condition and the clear vision about the future public administration. Also, it suggests the government to design a practical auditing system to review the effectiveness of PSD reform on a regular basis.