Performance management systems of statutory corporations in Hong Kong: the experience of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and Hong Kong Arts Development Council

Statutory corporations as semi-autonomous organizations have for many years been a prominent feature of public management in Hong Kong. Their purposes have been diverse, accompanied by various structural and operational arrangements aimed at fostering high levels of performance as justification for their continued existence. This has been so for the two corporations addressed in this discussion, just as it has for all others, with their seeking actively to function and achieve objectives efficiently and effectively. Accordingly, not only have their outputs and outcomes mattered as ultimate tests of their performance, but also their systems for managing performance have mattered as bases of their performance understanding, commitments, and support. Their systems are the focus here, providing significant insights into means by which organizations can manage their performance in meaningful pursuit of their purposeful sustainability.