This study utilises an institutional logic perspective to explore the dynamics and complexity of academic personnel system reforms at leading Chinese universities. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 32 participants from 10 highly ranked universities; these interviews obtained the views of key observers on four main reform initiatives: global recruitment, the adoption of a tenure-track system and improvements to performance criteria and review procedures. Findings reveal that the fundamental goal of academic personnel system reforms for leading Chinese research universities was to address increasing global competition and stimulate research outputs within a new managerial context. A unique 'two-tier' career system is emerging influenced by the interweaving of competing logics and complicated interactions between external influences and Chinese traditions, in which the traditional permanent employment system operates simultaneously with the newly introduced tenure-track system, and 'up-or-out' has transformed into 'up-or-transfer' due to the legacies of the "danwei" system.