ENHANCED PRODUCTIVITY PROGRAM IN HONG KONG : A Critical Appraisal

Committed to public sector reforms, the chief executive of Hong Kong launched the enhanced productivity program (EPP) across the public sector in 2000. He required departments and agencies to put forward proposals for new or improved services without giving them additional financial resources. Managers were required to deliver productivity gains amounting to 5% of their operating expenditure between 2000 and 2002. As the EPP has just been completed, it is now a good time to evaluate the performance, achievements and challenges of the program. The article will assess  critically the overal effectiveness of the EPP, the measures and safeguards for quality service, and the human resources management strategy in support of EPP. The analysis will derive from the perspective of the government, civil servants, and citizens. It is hoped the experience of implementing the EPP in Hong Kong can be shared among public administration academics and practitioners in different countries.