Thesis (M.B.A.)--Naval Postgraduate School, December 2003. / "MBA professional report"--Cover. Thesis advisor(s): Jeffrey R. Cuskey, Cary Simon. Includes bibliographical references (p. 107-109). Also available online.

published_or_final_version / Politics and Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

published_or_final_version / Public Health / Master / Master of Public Health

published_or_final_version / Public Health / Master / Master of Public Health

Public-private partnership (PPP) has been an important issue in recent decades. PPP is seen by some as a cure for inefficient and over-burdensome modern government. Yet, by observing practices in China, this research aims to answer the simple questions: why has there been a decline in PPPs? How does government decide whether or not to establish partnership with private enterprises? By investigating the case of Primary Land Development (PLD) in China especially in Beijing, this research has attempted to provide explanations mainly in relation to coordination effectiveness involving a resource interdependence theory. Logic of institutionalism is followed. External environment, key institutions and attributes of PLD field are also carefully examined to further explain the change of resources and coordination effectiveness. This research conducts longitudinal comparison of cases within one case city: Beijing. The focal level is Beijing municipal level. Three time horizons are examined, which are 2002—2004, 2005—2008, and 2009-2010. The First-hand data in this study have two main sources: in-depth interviews with key policy participants and archives acquired through fieldwork. Secondary data including statistical yearbooks, laws and policies, news, and research carried out by previous students are also employed by the research. This research examines the changes of external political and economic environment in each time horizon. It compares the coordination effectiveness between PLD policy-makers and PLD implementers and between PLD implementers and other stakeholders in PLD process within each time period. Through examining the three stages of PLD in Beijing, this research develops the following findings. First, fiscal decentralization and cadre management are two important elements shaping the incentives of policy-makers in China. Second, coordination effectiveness in two dimensions influence policy-makers in decisions related to PPP. Third, the degree and the extent of resource interdependence influences whether coordinator can employ the most suitable and effective mechanisms to coordinate. Fourth, changes to the external economic and political environment will change the incentives and policy choices of policy-makers, and also change the resources held by different actors. Fifth, coordination matters. When traditional mechanisms such as hierarchy and the market do not work well in many cases, the ability to employ new coordination mechanisms such as networks is particularly important in achieving the desired goals of coordinators. Finally, in countries like China which is dominated by political logic, the more politically significant a field is, the less likely it is that PPPs will exist. / published_or_final_version / Politics and Public Administration / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Conserving ecologically important sites under private ownership has long been the problem to the Government. In Mai Po and Inner Deep Bay Ramsar Site, wetland habitat comprises of a number of fishponds under private ownership. The land ownership issue hinders these fishponds from wetland conservation. Conventional conservation approach, which relies on nature reserve designation and land acquisition, is not always applicable due to huge financial implication. To resolve the issue, the Government launched Public-private Partnership Scheme in 2004, to encourage wetland conservation projects on private lands through integration of wetland conservation and development. In recent years, projects applied through Public-private Partnership Scheme have received strong objection from the public and green groups. They criticize the projects will impose potential impacts on wetland habitat and threats on biodiversity values. This study identified the inadequacies of Public-private Partnership Scheme and to analyze the root causes leading to ineffectiveness. The result of evaluation found several inadequacies in Public-private Partnership Scheme, including (i) ignorance of overall biodiversity values; (ii) weak linkage between conservation and development objectives and result in incompatible land uses; (iii) neglected the interest of powerless stakeholders in the design of trade-off and incentives; (iv) lacks of other policies, cross-departmental and regional planning supports; (v) uncertainty in long-term financial arrangement; and (vi) top-down and unidirectional participation process. These inadequacies are further categorized into five root causes leading to ineffectiveness of PPP scheme, including (i) limitations of incentive, (ii) lack of clear conservation targets, (iii) passive and rigid mechanism, (iv) top-down participation process, and (v) project-based policy. Based on these root causes, the Government’s motivation in conservation is much lag behind when compared to the public expectation. Its effort in facilitation is limited and critically influences the effectiveness of Public-private Partnership Scheme. Its passive and supervision role of the Government hinder the mechanism of Public-private Partnership Scheme search for better integration of wetland conservation and development. / published_or_final_version / Urban Planning and Design / Master / Master of Science in Urban Planning

published_or_final_version / Politics and Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

published_or_final_version / Architecture / Master / Master of Landscape Architecture

It has been a long debating topic in Hong Kong for the controversy of heritage conservation and development. For so long, heritage conservation has been sacrificed for economic development in urban renewal and development. However, the society of Hong Kong began to be aware of the importance of heritage in recent years. The heritage conservation topic has became focus of the society, and a task for the government to deal with carefully. As part of the new conservation policy, the Revitalizing Historic Buildings Through Partnership Scheme has come to the scene as a possible remedy to the complicated matter by focusing on social values, public engagement and heritage conservation. The goal of this study is to assess if the Scheme is effective and efficient in handling the dilemma between development and heritage conservation. A project of the Scheme, Tai O Heritage Hotel, is being examined. By overseeing the result of this project, we could determine to what extent this new initiative has achieved in conserving heritage and social benefit. With extensive review on the conservation policy and relevant document, together with the interview result with stakeholders of the project, we could assess if the project is competent enough to make a new way for future development strategy in Hong Kong. The findings in this research reflect that the new initiative has been able to put more attention to the root cause of heritage conservation problem, such as preserving social values, engaging public participation, incorporating the doctrines of heritage conservation into business running. The Tai O Heritage is viable in operation and could stand a model for later projects. However, it is also noted that even the Government has aimed high in the Scheme, the public participation is still limited. The effort of the Government to put up a conservation policy is never to be minimized as it lines out the future practice of urban development. to a right track and put emphasis on social value, more attention should be put on the public engagement and its future course. The Government is suggested to learn from the result of this project in order to work out a more efficient long term strategy to keep the conservation policy sustainable. Social values, public engagement and heritage conservation should be run out on a balanced base with more practical measures such as education, public-private consolidation and heritage trust. / published_or_final_version / Housing Management / Master / Master of Housing Management

The Commissioner for Heritage's Office (.CHO.) was established as a response to the 2007-2008 Chief Executive Policy Address and was regarded as a milestone in stimulating heritage conservation in Hong Kong. One of the major initiatives implemented by the CHO is the Revitalising Historic Buildings Through Partnership Scheme (Revitalisation Scheme) for non-profit-making organisations (NPOs) to operate Government-owned historic buildings. There is a need to evaluate the 'social' public-private-partnership (PPP) of Revitalisation Scheme as it matures. As the Development Bureau is releasing more historic buildings under the Scheme and question arises if it is feasible in long-run and whether private enterprises can be eligible to participate to diversify our historic buildings. An analysis of several cases under the Revitalisation Scheme and overseas case studies were used. Interviews were conducted with stakeholders from the public, private and third sectors of the Revitalisation Scheme to understand their relationships. Interviewees included operators of the historic buildings, project architects, advisory board member and academia. Stakeholders from overseas case study were also interviewed. It was discovered that the use of partnership in the Revitalisation Scheme is successful in drawing funding from the public sector and expertise from the private sector. The establishment of CHO and its institutional arrangement had significantly reduced the risk of the private sector and risk of over-commercialisation of historic buildings. But the selection of historic buildings to be included in the Revitalisation Scheme, selection of applicants, financial stability, building requirements, management concerns and lack of private enterprise participation limits the effectiveness of heritage PPP. In order to build upon the Revitalisation Scheme, NPOs and private enterprises should form a consortium for a better distribution of risks and responsibilities in the partnership. The private enterprise will be responsible for the primary business in operating the historic building, while the third sector can commit to community input and the protection of heritage values. A profit-sharing approach between the public, private and third sector will create long-term benefits for the Revitalisation Scheme. The Government as the public sector should apply appropriate zoning regulations and flexibility in the buildings codes to establish a long term strategy of the Revitalisation Scheme. The connection and the theory between PPP and heritage conservation form a basis to evaluate the innovative approach of the Revitalisation Scheme. As we witnessed several award-winning projects under the scheme, this analysis will examine their implications and measures to ensure the feasibility of the Revitalisation Scheme in long run. / published_or_final_version / Urban Planning and Design / Master / Master of Science in Urban Planning