Department of Political Science
Social Sciences Faculty
Academic Year 2014/2015 (1st Term)
Course Title
Course Code
No. of Credits/Term
Mode of Tuition
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:
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:
Hong Kong Civil Service
CLC9014/GEB225
Class Contact Hours
Category in Major Prog.
Core Curriculum Cluster:
Discipline
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:
:
:
3 hours per week
Instructor
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Professor Yiu-chung Wong ([email protected])
3
Lecture – Tutorial
Core Curriculum Cluster/GE Category B
Management and Society
Political Science
Brief Description
The course analyses the civil service system of the Hong Kong SAR, and the societal and
political impacts on civil service management structures. It examines the institutions,
management processes, and major issues confronting the civil service system. A brief
introduction to the civil service systems of mainland China, the United Kingdom and the
United States will also be provided in the later stage of lectures to further enhance
students’ understanding of important international public personnel systems. If possible,
guest talks by former Hong Kong senior civil servants will be arranged to provide
students with insights into the current operation and practices of the system in
post-handover Hong Kong. This course will benefit students who are planning to pursue
their career in the government or other public sectors after graduation.
Indicative Content
Week
1&2
Topics
Course Introduction
The concept of bureaucracy in Public Administration and Sociological
studies
The concept of civil service and public interest
Bureaucrats and politicians
Structure, size, demography
3&4
Hong Kong Civil Service and its Developmental Context
Socio-economic development and transformation of the civil service since
the 1980s
Key values in civil service management: neutrality, professionalism and
consistency
Sovereignty retrocession and Beijing’s policies on the Hong Kong civil
service
1
5&6
Civil Service Management Policy and Institutions
The political structure
General civil service management principles
Relevant departments and institutions: Chief Secretary for Administration,
Financial Secretary, Public Service Commission, General Consultative
Councils and Hong Kong Independent Commission Against Corruption
(ICAC).
The Inter/ Intra-government relations
7&8
Recruitment, Training, Pay and Sanction of Civil Servants
Structures and grades of civil service
Staffing and training: the administrative service, the general grade and the
professional grade
Motivation enhancement
Civil service pay structure and policy
Sanction of civil servants
9
Industrial Relations of Civil Servants
Unionisation of civil service
The consultation mechanism
Civil service unions and their bargaining strategies
10
Special Topic 1
Civil Service Reform in Hong Kong
11
Special Topic 2
Civil Service and the system of “Accountability System of Principal
Officials”
12
Special Topic 3
The Civil Service system of Mainland China
13
Special Topic 4
Civil Service system: a comparative perspective (UK)
14
Special Topic 5
Civil Service system: a comparative perspective (USA)
Teaching Method
Lectures combined with tutorials involving class discussion, group oral presentation
and essay writing. Students are encouraged during tutorials to lead discussion based
on reading related to lecture topics. Examples of the civil service systems of mainland
China, the United Kingdom and the United States will be briefly introduced to
students as a comparison to the system in Hong Kong.
2
Assessment
Continuous assessment
: 40%
(class discussion - 10%,
group presentation - 15%,
essay
- 15%)
Final examination
: 60%
Required/Essential Readings
Burns, J., Government Capacity and the Hong Kong Civil Service, Hong Kong: Oxford
University Press, 2004.
Ho, Pui-yin. The Administrative History of the Hong Kong Government Agencies
1841-2002. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press, 2004.
Scott, I., The Public Sector in Hong Kong, Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press,
2010.
卜約翰：《 政府管治能力與香港公務員》，香港：牛 津 大 學 出 版 社 ， 2010 年。
Recommended/Supplementary Reading
Cheung, Anthony B. L. (ed.), Public Service Reform in East Asia – Reform Issues and
Challenges in Japan, Korea, Singapore and Hong Kong, Hong Kong: Chinese
University Press, 2004.
Howell, J. (ed.), Governance in China, Lanham: Rowman and Littlefield, 2003.
Klingner, D., and Nalbandian, J., Public Personnel Management: Contexts and
Strategies, 6th Edition, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 2009.
Chan, Ming K., (ed.), China’s Hong Kong Transformed- Retrospect and Prospect
Beyond the First Decade. Hong Kong: City University Of Hong Kong Press, 2010.
Lam, Wai-man, els. (ed.), Contemporary Hong Kong Politics-Governance in the
Post-1997 Era. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press. 2007.
Miners, N., The Government and Politics of Hong Kong, 6th Edition, Hong Kong:
Oxford University of Press, 1998.
吳 愛 明 編 ：《當 代 中 國 政 府 》(Contemporary Chinese Government)， 北 京 ： 中
國 人 民 大 學 出 版 社 ， 2005 年 。
許 法 根 編 ：《國 家 公 務 員 制 度 》(Civil Service System in China)， 杭 州 ： 浙 江 大
學 出 版 社 ， 2004 年 。
陳瑞蓮、汪永成著：
《香港特區公共管理模式研究》
，北京：中國社會科學出版社，
3
2009 年。
薛鳳旋主編：《香港發展報告：香港回歸 15 週年專輯》，香港：社會科學文獻出
版社，2012。
The Issue of Dishonest Practice
Students shall be aware of the University regulations about dishonest practice in
course work and the possible consequences as stipulated in the Regulations
Governing University Examinations.Tutorial Arrangements
Tutorial Class Format
The class will be divided into a number of groups, consisting of one or more
students, depending on the size of the class. Each group will choose a topic for
presentation The presentation will last for about 30 minutes and followed by
comments and discussion. The written report should be submitted two weeks after
the presentation. The paper is about 15 pages (A4-double spacing) including
references or bibliography. Do not write more than 15 pages and marks will
deducted beyond that.
The penalty for the late submission of term papers
A) Late submission within five working days of the due date. 5 marks will be
deducted, e.g. 15 will become 10, etc.
B) Late submission beyond five working days will receive “F” grade for the work.
Tutorial Class Topics
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
Max Weber and the concept of Bureaucracy
Hong Kong Civil Service in the 19th Century.
Hong Kong Civil Service in the 20th Century
The MCkinsey Report on reforming the Civil Service in 1973
Civil Service Reform in the late 1990s.
The Accountability System of the Principal Officials and Its Impact on Civil Service
‘One Country, Two Systems’ and Hong Kong Civil Service
8) Governance crisis and Hong Kong Civil Service
Last Week (Thursday) Examination (27 November 2014)
4