The Impact Of Separation Reform On The Service Function Of Industry Associations And Chambers Of Commerce And Its Mechanism Research

In July 2015,the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the General Office of the State Council issued the "Overall Plan for Decoupling Industry Associations and Chambers of Commerce from Administrative Organs",which opened a new round of separation reform between industry associations and chambers of commerce and administrative organs(hereinafter referred to as "separation reform").The separation reform stipulates that industry associations and chambers of commerce and administrative organs must carry out "five separations and five norms" in terms of institutions,functions,assets,personnel,party building,etc.,which establishes the "socialization and marketization" reform direction of industry associations and chambers of commerce.At the end of December 2020,the five-year separation reform came to a successful conclusion.However,neither the theoretical nor the practical circles have yet made an assessment of the effectiveness of the separation reform.This paper proposes that the end point of evaluating the separation reform is to measure whether the functions of industry associations and chambers of commerce have been fully exerted.The core and basic function of industry associations and chambers of commerce is "service".Therefore,this article focuses on the "service function" of industry associations and chambers of commerce,and explores and answers the following two questions: What impact has the separation reform had on the service functions of industry associations and chambers of commerce? And what is the mechanism of action of this effect?Studies have shown that the institutional environment can have a decisive effect on the structure and behavior of an organization.The de-administrative reform of the decoupling of industry associations and chambers of commerce from administrative agencies has changed the institutional environment for the survival and development of industry associations and chambers of Challenges are not passive,but actively take measures to resolve the crisis.In this case,industry associations and chambers of commerce may take market-oriented measures to enhance service function and achieve their own development.Therefore,This paper attempts to analyze the impact of separation reform on the service function of industry associations and chambers of commerce,and further explain its mechanism from the perspective of marketization of nonprofit organizations.This paper adopts a mixed research method combining quantitative and qualitative research,taking the first batch of 148 national industry associations and chambers of commerce and administrative organs as an example,based on the sample data of the national industry associations and chambers of commerce from 2015 to 2019,through the difference in difference method.The impact of the separation reform on the service function of industry associations and chambers of commerce is statistically analyzed,and the results show that the separation reform has a positive impact on the service function of industry associations and chambers of commerce.This paper uses case analysis to further explain the marketization mechanism of the separation reform affecting the service function of industry associations and chambers of commerce,and summarizes its methods as expanding resources,stimulating competition and enhancing legitimacy.Expanding resources refers to the fact that after the separation reform,industry associations and chambers of commerce obtain diversified sources of income by charging service fees,product sales,etc.to expand resource source channels,thereby providing more commercial and income-generating services and increasing the number of services.Stimulating competition is reflected in the marketization of the funding relationship from direct government funding to government procurement of services after the separation reform,which puts industry associations and chambers of commerce under competitive pressure,promotes their continuous improvement in their professionalism,and then provides professional services and enhances service quality.Enhancing legitimacy refers to the fact that the identity of industry associations and chambers of commerce is challenged after separation and faces a crisis of legitimacy.In order to gain the recognition and support of members and establish industry authority,follow the market-oriented concept of "customer orientation" and pay attention to the needs of members and the industry,and provide targeted services,thereby improving service awareness and service efficiency.Changes in the external environment of the separation reform have prompted industry associations and chambers of commerce to enhance service functions through market-oriented means.This is consistent with the separation reform policy’s adherence to the market-oriented reform direction.Based on the above research findings,this paper puts forward policy recommendations from the perspectives of industry associations and chambers of commerce and government.For industry associations and chambers of commerce,in the post-separation era,they should expand resources through marketization,provide income-generating services,and increase the number of services;stimulate competition through marketization,provide professional services,and improve service quality;improve legality through marketization and provide targeted services,enhance service awareness and service efficiency.For the government,it should continue to deepen separation reform and consolidate the achievements of separation reform,and further optimize the market environment,so as to create an environment for independent and free competition for industry associations and chambers of commerce.