Community service provision for the elderly under the context of competitive contracting in Guangzhou

Contracting is a prevalent trend in the delivery of public and social services around the world. International experience shows that contracting has positive and negative impacts on service provision. While local experiments on social service contracting are currently emerging in China, the implementation and effects of contracting are worthy subjects of examination. This study delves into this area by focusing on community service provision for the elderly in the context of competitive contracting. A street community which is located in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province of China serves as a case study to show the implementation of competitive contracting, the provision of community service for the elderly, and the implications of contracting for care.