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Social Policy between Plan and Market

Xiagang (Off‐duty Employment) and the Policy of the Re‐employment Service Centres in China

Bibliographic Data

ID11196623
AuthorsLinda Wong (0000-0002-2994-2072, corresponding author), Kinglun Ngok (0000-0001-8111-6184)
Year2006
Volume40
Issue2
Pages158-173
Publication date2006-04-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSocial Policy and Administration (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0144-5596 • E-ISSN: 1467-9515
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/j.1467-9515.2006.00482.x
OpenAlexW2030678777
LanguageEN
Citations received14
References cited8

China's gradual transition from a command economy to a market system has been vexed by its ailing state‐owned enterprises (SOEs) employing huge numbers of surplus workers. Under the growing challenge of market competition, the survival of SOEs depends critically on the release of unwanted staff. If not handled well, however, massive layoffs could trigger ugly protests, erode social stability and challenge the governing mandate of the Chinese Communist Party. Facing this dilemma, the state's response has been to invent a process of ‘xiagang’ (off‐duty employment) whereby redundant state workers can leave the production process without causing social turbulence, and to introduce a national programme of re‐employment service centres (RSCs) which offer living allowances, social security, job training and re‐employment assistance as a transitional measure. As a distinct form of unemployment, xiagang reflects the special challenge confronting the state and civil society in a critical stage of China's market transition. This article sets out to explore the political and social meanings of xiagang and the RSCs to elucidate how the state uses a specific social policy to balance both group and national interests and to steer the country on to the next stage of market development

Business · China · Communism · Competition (biology · Dilemma · Duty · Economic growth · Economic system · Economics · Labour economics · Mandate · Market economy · Political science · Politics · Social security · State (computer science · Unemployment · China's Socioeconomic Reforms and Governance · Employment and Welfare Studies · Law · Social Policy and Reform Studies

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Unique citing works14
Citations per year0,78
Citation span2008 - 2023 (16)
Citation velocityhistorical
Highly citedNo
Citation typesNeutral: 14
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