Narrow Results

This paper compares and contrasts the behavioral tendencies between civil servants recruited from regular entrance examinations (REEs) and specially selected graduates (SSGs) in grassroots-level governments in China as they face a conflict between vertical (hierarchical) and horizontal (public) responsiveness. This study draws on a survey from 13 cities to explore behavioral variations in the two categories of civil servants. Two test methods (the OLS and mediation model) are adopted to verify the findings. This study finds that both the vertical and horizontal responsiveness of civil servants who are SSGs tend to be higher than those recruited from the REEs in facing the above-mentioned conflict. Four personnel mechanisms are tested to explain this variation: (1) the politicized recruitment and selection of SSGs, (2) job arrangements for SSGs, (3) triple leadership over SSGs, and (4) a fast-track stream for SSGs. Our analysis reveals that only the first two can account for this variation. This account can shed new light on the impact of the development of a separate corps of elites in China.

Water system revenue losses, inefficiency, mismanagement, lack of productivity, and federal mandates are rapidly escalating the cost of water and wastewater for Baltimore consumers. Baltimore’s water and wastewater systems are municipally owned and poorly managed by Baltimore City. Due to a lack of maintenance, these systems are plagued by an immense number of leaks, main breaks, and sewage backups. In addition, the billing system has a long history of errors. The overall deterioration of the systems, inadequate capital management, and operational problems are symptomatic of the fact that the Baltimore City Department of Public Works lacks proper accounts, including a balance sheet. Despite these glaring flaws, the systems have been politicized and are now protected by an amendment to the Baltimore City Charter that prohibits the assistance of private enterprise and markets in addressing Baltimore’s endemic water and wastewater problems by tapping the competency and skills available in the private marketplace. In order to reverse the politicization of Baltimore’s water system, which will only make operation and capital mismanagement problems worse as well as increase costs for the citizens of Baltimore, the charter amendment must be eliminated, allowing for the private provision of infrastructure and its maintenance. We recommend that this private provision is based on the centuries-old tried and tested French model.