Governance of social welfare service provision in Hong Kong : an analysis of the social welfare subvention policy

Abstract

This thesis filled the research gap and developed an analytical framework, by adopting the institutional approach, to systematically scrutinize the change in government-nonprofit relations after the social welfare subvention reform in 2001. While “managerialism” is the popular concept investigates the subvention reforms, existing studies are at descriptive level, focusing on portraying the change and examining the impact and consequence of the reform. Yet, the nuances of state structures and power reconfiguration in the welfare policy-making and implementation system, which transformed the government-nonprofit relations in social welfare service provision, have received less focus. By conceptualizing the subvention reform as regulatory reform, taking into account the change of political and administrative system, this study investigated the change in governance of social welfare service provision, which ultimately alters the roles and collaborative relationship between government and NGOs in Hong Kong.

The qualitative study, involving thematic framework analysis of data collected from document resources and in-depth interviews of the elites in the field of social welfare service provision, as well as unstructured interviews of frontline social worker, investigated (1) rules governing welfare policy-making and provision of social welfare services in Hong Kong before and after the resumption of sovereignty by China; and (2) rules governing the operation and development of the subvention system in Hong Kong before and after the social welfare subvention reform. This study argues that the social welfare subvention reform, the introduction of the Lump Sum Grant Subvention System, is a shift to regulatory pluralism, which transforms the governance of social welfare service provision in Hong Kong. The shift from a pure “command and control” model to a “regulatory mix”, releases the “network of NGOs under hierarchical governance” under the old subvention system, and establishes a new form of partnership as an “extended network”. The relationship between government and NGOs transformed from an unmeshed employer-employee relationship to a rather arm’s-length collaborative relationship. The role of the government in provision of social welfare service has shifted from public employer to public procurer. The transformation of governance de- bureaucratizes the NGOs, spurring entrepreneurialism that breaks the traditional cohesive and standardized social service development. This move of disaggregating from the government revitalizes the voluntary spirit. NGOs are empowered to be autonomous and variegate their development. This study identified three stages of development of NGOs in Hong Kong and developed an useful analytical framework to investigate the government-nonprofit relations. The unique history of Hong Kong, the development of unmeshed and intertwining relationship between the government and NGOs in provision of social welfare service, contributes to theories of the government and NGOs relationship. It also brings insight to the policy maker for enhancing the social welfare subvention system.