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New Horizons in China's Higher Education Sector APRU
Beyond the Constrains of “Danwei”
——Thoughts on innovative knowledge-based activities in China’s research Universities
Higher Education Institute
Fudan University
Jing Song
New Horizons in China's Higher Education Sector APRU
What is “Danwei”?• It was the foundation of China’s social structure
and a special organization belonged to the planned economic system.
• In addition to its professional function, a Danwei also serves as a political, economic and social hybrid.
• Through a Danwei system the government machine distributes resources and at the same time asserts a strong grip to the nation and its people.
New Horizons in China's Higher Education Sector APRU
Characteristics of Danwei Institution• An organizational structure based on
hierarchy.
• Danwei members depend on Danwei by default, not by contract.
• The allocation of resources is based on administration-centric.
• Resources are not liquid.
New Horizons in China's Higher Education Sector APRU
Institutional context of Knowledge Innovation of Universities being as Danwei
• The multifunctional aspect of a Danwei becomes an obstacle to innovative activities and their efficiency.
• School administration dictates academic activities, which results in academic expedience
• Universities controlled by the government and teachers controlled by the universities
• Segregation between schools and departments epitomizes the characteristics of Danwei, and such organizational structure causes bulwark between disciplines.
New Horizons in China's Higher Education Sector APRU
Dissolve Danwei Institution ---Reform in Innovative Activities of China’s
UniversitiesBackground:
With the ongoing social and economic transformations, the previously dominant danwei structure has been challenged by the rapid growth of the private sector and as a result a social structure consisting of danwei and non-danwei is being established.
New Horizons in China's Higher Education Sector APRU
• Internal administrative reform: freedom in designing school curriculums, reformed human resource management, distribution system and privatization of logistics.
• Reformed revenue generating system and job placement
• Reformed school management
Systemic Transition of the University as A Danwei
New Horizons in China's Higher Education Sector APRU
Technology and Science Platform---A New Organiztion Structure of Innovation
School Department
School Department
Technology and Science Platform
New Horizons in China's Higher Education Sector APRU
Issues in organizational reform
Personnel Academic reward & recognition
Discipline-building and evaluation
Assessment and promotion
Balance of interests between schools, between departments and between disciplines
New Horizons in China's Higher Education Sector APRU
Beyond the constrains of Danwei—a direction for China’s research universities and their innovative knowledge-based academic activities
• Knowledge-based innovation relys on the innovation of organization and its mechanism.
• Build new organizations, and transform the danwei system.
• The new organization and mechanism should accommodate innovation, and through such approach inspire more innovative activities.
