From indigenous to colonised: the recruitment practice of the British colonial administration in Hong Kong, 1845 – 1932

This research examines the recruiting practice of the British Hong Kong (HK) Colonial Government before the Japanese occupation (from 1845 to 1932), as well as its corresponding influencing factors. By understanding the HK Government’s dynamic attitude towards different nationalities, the work discusses the national hierarchy within the government. Mixed research method is applied in this work: benefited from a unique record known as the Blue Book which offers employment details of civil servants in HK, it is allowed to generate the staffing characteristics from multiple aspects and the changes by a longitudinal view through quantitative method; on the other hand, qualitative analysis towards related historical materials facilitates the understanding of influencing elements. Suggested by the results, the HK Government typically utilised ethnocentric staffing approach in the whole period. However, the more interesting findings show the government increasingly relied on the locals along with time, and the asynchronised speed of Chinese staff population overtook other nationalities within different departments. Considering the staffing practice as a social phenomenon situated in a particular social context, the research also attempts to discuss the rationality of the previously discussed recruitment approach. It is expected the study of Colonial Government can grasp a deeper sense from the social and historical aspects, filling the gap of Colonial HK history, whilst simultaneously moving the focus of the international recruitment from concerning employee’s nationality to the cultural and social background. Eventually, this research expects to develop and contribute to the literatures of IHRM especially from the perspectives of ethnocentric staffing and homosocial reproduction.