Growing Out of the Plan is a comprehensive study of China's economic reforms, from their beginnings at the end of 1978 through the completion of many of the initial reform measures during 1993. The book focuses on industry and macroeconomic policy, using them to describe reform strategy in its entirety.

In addition to being a thorough and reliable guide to the specifics of the reforms, Growing Out of the Plan examines the Chinese approach to economic transition, which is based on maintaining elements of the planned economy while concentrating economic growth in the market-oriented segments of the economy, outside the government plan. This "dual track" policy is a feature of Chinese reform that differentiates it from its counterparts in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union.

1. Barry Naughton argues that the success of the reforms is not the result of carefully plotted strategy. Rather, during some periods, coherence emerged in spite of the policies of Chinese leaders. In hindsight, however, China's jumble of ad hoc reforms have added up to a coherent package. Most important for other changing economies, writes Naughton, the Chinese experience shows that gradual change away from a command economy is feasible.