A dualistic view of employment in China

Purpose This paper aims to bring to the fore some neglected implications of the dual employment systems in China, especially for the public sector. Design/methodology/approach This paper reinterprets some recent developments in understanding Chinese employments and incorporates the relevant research in arguing for a dualistic view of employment in China[1]. Findings In highlighting the unique dualistic employment contexts in China and an indigenous phenomenon of “unequal pay for equal work”, this paper finds public management studies in China to deserve a separate platform for future research. Research limitations/implications Future Chinese management studies on public sector should contextualise their findings and conclusions, taking into account the employment structure at their research settings. More studies on the public sector are needed to better understand the dualistic Chinese employment relationships, especially for better public management policies and practices in China. Social implications It calls for more scholarly attention on the social injustice embedded in the dualistic employment in China. Originality/value It extends the ongoing discussions of Chinese employment reform and its implications on organising work and employment in China, while unveils important implications of the dualistic employment for future Chinese management research, especially in the public sector.