Searching for a new social service governance model: A study of government purchase of services in China

In recent years the Chinese Government has made attempts to search for new social service management and governance model to enhance service delivery and social service provision. One of the major strategies adopted is the introduction of government purchase of services by inviting non-governmental social service organizations to offer services to cater for the social and welfare needs of the Chinese citizens. This paper sets out against the social policy expansion context to critically examine how far the government purchase of services would have affected service delivery and social service provision. With particular reference to the Guangdong experience, this paper reports the research findings generated from policy review and field interviews with leaders working in Non-Governmental Organizations based in Hong Kong and Guangzhou. Special attention will be focused on how they evaluate the effectiveness of the scheme, major challenges and future development opportunities. The paper will also reflects upon whether the government purchase of services has satisfactorily improve social service governance in China.