The role of social innovation policy in social service sector reform: Evidence from Hong Kong

This article illustrates how the term “social innovation” is used in the public policy domain in Hong Kong in relation to the new public management (NPM) reform of the social service sector, which originated in the early 2000s. Through document reviews and interviews, the role that social innovation policy has played in instigating changes in the contemporary social service field in the post-NPM era is identified. This includes facilitating emergence of “new” forms of social entrepreneurial activities to fill unmet social needs, empowering new actors in entering the social service sector, and reinforcing the government’s position in the NPM reform. Adopting historical institutionalism as the analytical framework, multiple path-dependent characteristics arising from the historical legacies of the incumbent social service environment – such as the longstanding partnership between the state and non-profits – are highlighted. These historical factors have weakened the efficacy of the policy efforts aimed at enacting institutional change. Overall, this article demonstrates how historical context matters in the emergence and framing of social innovation policy. It contributes to the theorisation of the role of social innovation in social service sector development in East Asia.

NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS IN POLAND: THEIR ROLE AND SOURCES OF FINANCING

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are institutions that belong most often to the social service sector, whose goals are to meet the specific needs of people that are not being met, or not being met adequately, by commercial organizations or state administrations. Such NGOs work to help citizens develop and to improve themselves and their life situations. This article presents an overview of the role played by NGOs in Poland and how they are funded.

“Everyday” Anti-Christian Violence

This chapter provides statistical data that support the notion that anti-Christian violence is more likely when Christians approach Hindus in their competitiveness for jobs and other social resources. It looks at the widespread and disproportionately high involvement of Christians in the social service sector, in which Christians comprise 2.5 to 5 percent of the Indian population. It also mentions non-Christians in India who find the significant Christian investment in social service impressive and admirable, describing it as a feather in the community's collective cap. The chapter discusses the Christian investment in social service as a carry-over from the colonial era that is suspected of being a ploy to advance Christian ideological, religious, and economic interests. It explores the economic explanation for Hindu–Christian conflict that is placed within a broader discussion of globalization and its effects in India.