Can Hong Kong exceptionalism last? Dilemmas of governance and public administration over five decades 1970s-2020
Purpose – The purpose of this book launch speech is to introduce the book I author, Can Hong Kong exceptionalism last? Dilemmas of governance and public administration over five decades 1970s-2020 (2021). The book critically reviews the governance and public administration from 1970s to 2020, identi...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Emerald Publishing
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Public Administration and Policy |
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| Online Access: | https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/PAP-12-2021-0064/full/pdf?title=can-hong-kong-exceptionalism-last-dilemmas-of-governance-and-public-administration-over-five-decades-1970s-2020 |
| _version_ | 1798030217695985664 |
|---|---|
| author | Anthony B.L. Cheung |
| author_facet | Anthony B.L. Cheung |
| author_sort | Anthony B.L. Cheung |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Purpose – The purpose of this book launch speech is to introduce the book I author, Can Hong Kong exceptionalism last? Dilemmas of governance and public administration over five decades 1970s-2020 (2021). The book critically reviews the governance and public administration from 1970s to 2020, identifying strengths and capabilities as well as constraints and dilemmas. Design/methodology/approach – The book is based on my decades of academic observations and personal political experience by interpreting and re-interpreting the Hong Kong journey, with reflections on past assumptions and raising new questions. Findings – This book identifies five exceptional aspects: (a) Under British rule Hong Kong was governed as an atypical colony; (b) It was one of the Four Little Dragons as part of the East Asian Miracle; (c) In the 1990s, it was one of the regional pioneers in public sector reform; (d) The unique constitutional status of post-1997 Hong Kong as a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China; (e) After reunification, the SAR government, though only semi-democratic, is checked by balancing and monitoring mechanisms no less vigorous than some developed democracies. It also examines various governance problems faced in the post-1997 period. Originality/value – Hong Kong is again in times of uncertainty and volatility. The city has entered a ‘second transition’ after 2020, and it is undergoing a bigger test than in 1997. After reviewing the past, I opine in the book that Hong Kong has to identify its niche areas, not only in economics. It needs a paradigm shift in how it relates to the Mainland within ‘One Country’ and how it relates to the world as a global metropolis. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T19:37:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d575d03dce7f49d7917836ef48656f39 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1727-2645 2517-679X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T19:37:45Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | Emerald Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Public Administration and Policy |
| spelling | doaj.art-d575d03dce7f49d7917836ef48656f392022-12-22T04:06:48ZengEmerald PublishingPublic Administration and Policy1727-26452517-679X2022-05-0125161210.1108/PAP-12-2021-0064680398Can Hong Kong exceptionalism last? Dilemmas of governance and public administration over five decades 1970s-2020Anthony B.L. Cheung0Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, ChinaPurpose – The purpose of this book launch speech is to introduce the book I author, Can Hong Kong exceptionalism last? Dilemmas of governance and public administration over five decades 1970s-2020 (2021). The book critically reviews the governance and public administration from 1970s to 2020, identifying strengths and capabilities as well as constraints and dilemmas. Design/methodology/approach – The book is based on my decades of academic observations and personal political experience by interpreting and re-interpreting the Hong Kong journey, with reflections on past assumptions and raising new questions. Findings – This book identifies five exceptional aspects: (a) Under British rule Hong Kong was governed as an atypical colony; (b) It was one of the Four Little Dragons as part of the East Asian Miracle; (c) In the 1990s, it was one of the regional pioneers in public sector reform; (d) The unique constitutional status of post-1997 Hong Kong as a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China; (e) After reunification, the SAR government, though only semi-democratic, is checked by balancing and monitoring mechanisms no less vigorous than some developed democracies. It also examines various governance problems faced in the post-1997 period. Originality/value – Hong Kong is again in times of uncertainty and volatility. The city has entered a ‘second transition’ after 2020, and it is undergoing a bigger test than in 1997. After reviewing the past, I opine in the book that Hong Kong has to identify its niche areas, not only in economics. It needs a paradigm shift in how it relates to the Mainland within ‘One Country’ and how it relates to the world as a global metropolis.https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/PAP-12-2021-0064/full/pdf?title=can-hong-kong-exceptionalism-last-dilemmas-of-governance-and-public-administration-over-five-decades-1970s-2020hong konggovernancepublic administrationexceptionalism |
| spellingShingle | Anthony B.L. Cheung Can Hong Kong exceptionalism last? Dilemmas of governance and public administration over five decades 1970s-2020 Public Administration and Policy hong kong governance public administration exceptionalism |
| title | Can Hong Kong exceptionalism last? Dilemmas of governance and public administration over five decades 1970s-2020 |
| title_full | Can Hong Kong exceptionalism last? Dilemmas of governance and public administration over five decades 1970s-2020 |
| title_fullStr | Can Hong Kong exceptionalism last? Dilemmas of governance and public administration over five decades 1970s-2020 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Can Hong Kong exceptionalism last? Dilemmas of governance and public administration over five decades 1970s-2020 |
| title_short | Can Hong Kong exceptionalism last? Dilemmas of governance and public administration over five decades 1970s-2020 |
| title_sort | can hong kong exceptionalism last dilemmas of governance and public administration over five decades 1970s 2020 |
| topic | hong kong governance public administration exceptionalism |
| url | https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/PAP-12-2021-0064/full/pdf?title=can-hong-kong-exceptionalism-last-dilemmas-of-governance-and-public-administration-over-five-decades-1970s-2020 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT anthonyblcheung canhongkongexceptionalismlastdilemmasofgovernanceandpublicadministrationoverfivedecades1970s2020 |