From government management to board governance: the development history and practice of Board of Trustees in Chinese museums, a comparative analysis of museum boards in China and the US

Abstract

ABSTRACT The Board of Trustees is a governance body that has been adopted internationally in the museum field. The United States has a well-developed board system and governance philosophy, which have brought guidance to China. There has been some progress in the promotion of the board governance in China over the last decade. However, few studies have focused on the role of the board in Chinese museums. This article summarizes the history of boards in Chinese museums and compares boards in China with those in the US in terms of formation and structure; power and responsibility and checks and balances; board meetings and rules of procedure; and guarantee and restraint mechanisms. This article aims to provide a Chinese perspective on the study of museum boards and to give suggestions based on the US experience to facilitate the improvement of the board system in Chinese museums.