Zhou's view indeed depicts an inspirational trend in a new economic and bureaucratic model of Chinese Characteristics, say, through promoting competition between local governments and delicate enticement designing;
but it obviously lack major components for one who's aim is to understand the decisive turn China's been taking after 2017: the inside mechanics of the party apparatus, and the outward policy design for China's play in a world economy.
我觉得锦标赛理论还是非常有意义的,在authoritarian的体制下,理论基础就是contract theory中的principle-agent,相比于democratic体制的hotelling model。游击队理论虽然看起来新颖,但是makes no sense,对于将来的启发也不大。这本书基本上是周自己paper的合辑,加以有意思的佐证。能够从始到终以一个自己原创性的理论贯穿,自成一家,也很少见了。