This article explores the role of adult and continuing education practitioners in Hong Kong as a function of contexts and conceptions of practice. A historical evolutionary approach is used to analyze how roles of practitioners differ in three periods--adult education, continuing education, and lifelong learning. It is revealed that practitioners have adopted different strategies of action in their pursuit of varied roles as educators, managers, and free marketeers. This has consequence for the values espoused in their practice. (Contains 1 table.)