000			01724pab a2200181 454500
008			180718b2011 xxu||||| |||| 00| 0 eng d
100			_aPainter, Martin
245			_aTask matters: A structural-instrumental analysis of the autonomy of Hong Kong government bodies
260			_c2011
300			_ap.395-410.
362			_aJul
520			_aWhat might account for the varying degrees of autonomy granted to public agencies? One broad range of answers is provided by a structural-instrumental perspective on organizations, which assumes that the assignment of autonomy is a response to structural features of organizing on the one hand and to task considerations on the other. Taking the case of Hong Kong, data from a survey of chief executives of 111 government agencies on perceptions of autonomy are analyzed to explore a series of propositions concerning the relationship between structure, task, and perceived autonomy. The method of ordinary least square regression is used to analyze the data. Overall, the findings show that variables describing key features of structure and task do help to explain degrees of autonomy. However, two propositions drawn from rational choice theory concerning task-related variables are not confirmed: public service delivery organizations are under tighter, not looser control, whereas regulatory agencies show no tendency toward autonomy. Interpretation of the findings points to significant features of Hong Kong's constitutional and political history which highlight the importance of contextualization. - Reproduced.
650			_aGovernment organizations
700			_aYee, Wai-Hang
773			_aAmerican Review of Public Administration
908			_aN
909			_a92960
999			_c92960 _d92960