Managing Civil Servants in China: a Practitioner’s Perspective and Reflection

Based on the personal experiences and observations of the second and third authors, this paper discusses pressing issues in civil servant’s management in China, using a small town in Anhui province as a case study. Furthermore, it recommends contextually meaningful practices and strategies to improve employee motivation and satisfaction for government staff. In particular, this paper provides practical and contextual insights on the Chinese public management, especially the working lives in government units in small towns in less developed areas in China.