A STUDY ON RESTRUCTURING OF ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGEMENTSYSTEM OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
Takashi GOSO
Kochi University of Technology
ABSTRACT: Social systems consist of process and rules. If relationships among social systems itself,
purpose of social systems, social situation and subject of social systems are not appropriate, social systems
don’t work properly. Especially, social situation and subject of social system change constantly. So,
maintenance for the social system is necessary. Furthermore, system to make social system is social system
too. Therefore, social systems should be structured considering with hierarchy of social systems.
Administrative management system is one of representative social systems. Some existing administrative
management systems are not adapted to present social situation and subject of social system. So,
administrative management systems should be restructured.
In this study, merger of municipalities, introduction of NPM (New Public Management) activity to a small
local government and waste reduction activities of regional organization, which author concerned undersocial systems, are analyzed as a social system.
KEYWORDS: local government, administrative reforming
necessary matters to realize effective administrative

1. BACKGROUND

reformation were found out.
Recently, many local governments in Japan try
to realize many kinds of administrative reformation.
These administrative reformations intend to improve

2. CHARACTERISTICS OF JAPANESELOCAL GOVERNMENT

efficiency of administrative works. These are severe
for administrative officers.

2.1 The relation between central government andAdministrative officers are required to work on
administrative reforming based on intention ofcentral

government,

well-informed

politicians,persons(fromresidentsmanyandfields).

local government
Japanese modern administrative organization
was structured after Meiji revolution (1868).
Driving

force

toestablish

newcentral

Furthermore, for administrative reforming, badgovernment was the crisis which could turn tofinancial condition of local governments andbecome a colony of European and Americanchanges in regulation of the central government

countries.

should be considered. In such conciliation, someFirst mission of new central government wasadministrative reformation brought good results but

military conscription and establishing military

others did not seem satisfactory.

organization. In this stage, local administrative

In this study, characteristics of Japanese local
governments were analyzed. Based on this analysis,organizations were subordinate organizations.
After World War 2, the General Head Quarter

(GHQ) made their policy that decentralization of(1) Avoiding responsibility of local government’s

Japanese administrative system aimed to weakenofficials

military strength of Japan.

When local governments hope to implement

In accordance with above policy, the GHQ madeproject using financial support from the central

Japanese central government to transfer theirgovernment, they apply grant or issuing local bonds

authority for local government. Principal of local

to central government.
The central government on the basis of its own

autonomy was established.
At present, central government and local

standards decides to adopt or reject the local

governments are different organizations, and they aregovernments’ applications. Responsibility on thein equal footing as the law defines. But, actually,

project becomes unclear by the fact that central

they still have “master and servant” relationship.

government has checked their application and shares

Almost local governmental organizations arestructured to make them compatible with the central

over 50% of project cost.
If some problems happened in such project, local

governmental organization.

government officials can avoid their responsibility

Shortage of financial resources is the reason for

citing that “local government has followed central

making such structures for the local organizations.

government’s standards”

Due to the shortage of financial resources, local

Local government’s officials have incentive togovernments need to get financial support from theavoid their responsibility by knowing the central

central government. To get financial support, local

government’s regulation, technical standard andgovernments are required to make plan which is in

financial support menu etc, and by following central

accordance with central government policy. Policy

government’s instructions and guide.

and financial support menu are presented by eachministry.

So,localgovernments

makeMoreover, personnel changes system which

theirrequires an official to rotate a post in every 3 or 4

organizations compatible to central government’syears has made lack of sense of responsibility in theorganization. Thus, administrative works of localofficials. If a problem happened to a project, staffs ofgovernments followed the policy of each ministry

the project in those days might have alreadyand “master and servant” relationship have beentransferred to another division.

kept until now.
(2)Characteristics of local government’s officials’
2.2 Mechanism to create “master and servant”
relationship between central government andlocal governments

ability
Many business persons in Japan have hadeducation which is mainly training to enhance skills

Basis of “master and servant” relationshipin order to find out or select an answer from the sets

between central government and local governmentsof alternatives by using the given knowledge.

is financial support from central government. But

Moreover, most of the public sector employment

financial support is not only the reason to keep

examination requires the candidate to have such

“master and servant” relationship between central

knowledge to find out the right answer from the sets

government and local governments but followingof answers. A person who can pass such kind offactors are also responsible for it.

examination is good at in selecting an answer fromthe available resources but not able to think andCentral government’s intention“Right Answer”

Financial supporting system
Regulations<Local Governmental organization>
Hope to get financial

Lacksupport efficiently

sourceCompatible

tocentralgovernment’s organization

offinancial

wereprepared by Central
Government

Necessary to get

Avoiding

financial support

responsibility

Officials are good at in selecting an answer from the available
resources but not able to think and create some innovative solutions
Education and employment examination requires

Low ability of local politicians

the candidate to have such knowledge to find out
the right answer from the sets of answers

Figure1 Central government’s intention has been realized in regional area
create some innovative solutions. Such educational

information between local government’s officials

system and requirements for getting employment do

and local politiciansreflects the abilities of employees and cultures inlocal governmental organizations.
Centralgovernment’s

There is knowledge and information gap
between local governments’ officials and localregulations,

technical

politicians about each political matter. It is difficult

standards and financial support menu etc. are quite

for local politicians to point out problems ofcomplicated.

planning made by local government’s officials andA high level of knowledge and strong power ofunderstanding are necessary in order to understandandhandle

thesematters.

“Excellent”

local

propose counterproposal.
Localgovernment’s

officials

know

above

condition. They want to follow central government’s

government’s officials can make plan and implement

intention

regional

centralresponsibility. In this way, central government’s

government’s intention provided they have sufficient

intention has been realized in regional area byknowledge over the concerned policies, regulations,high-ability of local government’s officials. These

etc. of the central government.

structures are shown in Figure1.

development

following

becauseofincentivefor

avoiding

Their knowledge and power of understanding
are useful to arrive at the “right answer = central

2.3 Present administrative reforming of local

government’s intention.”government

They look like that theythink it is the significance of their existence.

Central government tried to reform the financial
system by reducing grants & subsidies and(3)Difference

amountofknowledge

andtransferring jobs and services to local government.

The taxing authority also will be transferred fromconsultant. So, the plan is put aside sometime. But

central government to local governments. Alongthey do not cancel the plan; if a plan has beenwith these reforms, subsidies are being restructured,

cancelled, local government’s officials and members

mainly by combining the existing subsidies into aof committee should take responsibility for thesingle grant or project package consisting of multiple

inappropriateness of the plan.

projects with a common strategic goal.
Background of these measures is diversificationof resident’s needs by improving quality of life.

3.2 Difficult to iron out for many stakeholders
Local governments have the role to administer

Central government cannot make uniform nationalemployment.

vision for all the regions. Therefore, central

unnecessary by executing the plan, negotiation may

government requires local governments to makebe difficult. So, local government’s officials hesitate

their own regional vision.

to execute the plan which affects the employment.

Insuchcondition,

local

If

someemployments

becomegovernmentorganization is required to change from organization

3.3 Incentive to avoid responsibility by changing

which make plan and implement project following

previous systemcentral government’s intention to organization which
can make plan and implement project by themselves.
To realize this, Structure in Figure1 should bechanged.

In order to execute administrative reforming
above hurdle should be cleared.
If local governments made their own plan andexecuted under their own system, they should takeresponsibility. But local government’s officials have

3. TO

EXECUTEADMINISTRATIVE

incentive to transfer their responsibility to centralgovernment.

REFORMING
3.1 Plan was not made by local government’s
officials

4. CASESTUDYOFADMINISTRATIVEREFORMING

Generally, many kinds of plans (ex. Master plan)

What kind of administrative reforming wasfor local governments are made by consultant under

executed or not?

supervisionsection 5. Case 1, 2 and 3 were not executedofcommittees

formedinlocalgovernment. But consultant did not execute their

Following cases were analyzed in

however Case 4, 5 and 6 were executed.

plans.
The officials or members of committee in the

4.1 Case1: Proposal of countermeasures for waste

local governments judge the plans made by

reduction in small local government

consultants and give their decision to implement theIn a certain small local government, portfolio of the

project or not to go ahead.

countermeasure for waste reduction was studied.

Consultant makes same kind of planning for

Numerical target of waste reduction was 10%. Study

another local government. So, a plan made for aorganization was structured form local government

local government is tend to be similar to anotherofficials and research group of university. Local

local government. Local government’s officials andgovernment officials were selected from every

members of committee are familiar with this matter.

division (General affairs, Planning, Public welfare,

Therefore, they doubt effects of plan made byConstruction and other industries, Education).

Effective and efficient countermeasure for waste

responsibility for the proposed measures andreduction was proposed. But proposal was not

execution of these measures for residents.

executed. Study organization was not enough to

Administrative officials of this organization said

work, and study was mostly done by research groupthat administrative officials of each municipalityof university. Furthermore, study fee was free. So,

oppose proposed measure. Further, he said that

local government officials did not understandresident oppose stand waste collection box everyday.

validity and proposal was put aside

Nobody has tried to solve these problems.

4.2 Case2: Proposal of countermeasures for waste

4.3 Case3: Failure of municipality merger
5 municipalities faced financial crisis and tried

reduction for public organization
This public organization incinerates and disposes
waste of 9 municipalities. This public organization

to merge. But finally, there was no agreement on
place of new government office.

requested Kochi University of Technology to makeThis merger was lead by prefectural government.

portfolio of the countermeasures for waste reduction.

First, these municipalities did not think about merger.

Effects of waste reduction by some measures were

Driving force of merger was to get “merger special

assessed from questionnaire survey for residents andcase bond.”

trial waste correction in some houses. Proposed
measures for waste reduction are following.

Master plan of new municipality was made byconsultant. But some members of committee said “Itz If paper waste collection boxes stand everyday, is a good plan. But is it adaptable to every
amount of waste and cost of incineration andmunicipality?”

disposal will be decreased. So, paper waste
collection boxes should stand everyday.

4.4 Case4: Realization of municipality merger

z If kitchen refuse collection boxes standAfter Case3 failure, 3 municipalities tried toeveryday, amount of waste will be decreased.

merge again and succeeded. Master plan of new

By this decreasing, new incinerator whichmunicipality was made by administrative officials ofwould be built in future can be compact. So, ifeach municipality.

ratio of correct kitchen refuse is over 30%,
kitchen refuse collection boxes should stand4.5

everyday. If ratio of correct kitchen refuse iscomposting system of local government

under 30%, kitchen refuse collection boxes
should not stand everyday.
100 houses to verify effectiveness of these

Following

Kitchenrefusesrefusescollection
collectionandandgovernment.
zmeasures.

Kitchen refuse collection boxes stand everyday,
resident can waste kitchen refuse at any time.

At study stage, these measures are understood byzcommittee member and administrative officials. But
This public organization has paid fee forresearchers for this study. So, researchers, committee
administrative

officials

have

Kitchen refuses from collection boxes arecollected twice per week.

z

proposed measures have not been executed yet.

andKitchencomposting system was established in certain local

z It is necessary to trial waste correction in aboutmember

Case5:

Compost was made from kitchen refuses. This
compost is distributed for residents.

zAbout 4,600 families participate to this system
Beforeintroducing

newkitchenrefusesTable1

Relationship between planner and executor

Case No. Planner
Case1
Research group of University
Research group of University
Case2
Committee
Prefecture Government
Case3
Consulting firm
Committee
Local government
Case4
Committee
Committee
Case5
Private company
Residents’ Group
Case6
Specialist of environment matter
Designer

Executor
Local government
Local government

Resultnot executed
not executed

Local government

not executed

Local government

executed

Local government
Private company
Local government
Residents’ Group

executed
executedlocal

To realize these plans, it is necessary to makegovernment was not able to process all the waste due

local government change their jobs. So, local

to limited capacity. This was driving force forgovernment officials may hesitate to exercise. Huge

introducing new system. Kitchen refuses collectionenergy is required to be “Key person” who act asand composting system were established by private

both planner and executor. Furthermore, “Keycompany of this area.

person” is required to take responsibilities.

collection

system,incineratorofthisofPreviously, planner and executor are separated incommittee are ladies; they try to use this system by

local governmental organization. Above condition

themselves. This is the reason for realizing andmay be on of the reasons for separating the planner

spreading this system.

and executor. For example, almost design engineer

Furthermore,

over50%ofmembers

and construction site engineer of local governments
4.6 Case6: Improvement of river environment

are separated.
But, to realize administrative reform “Keyand maintenance by resident’s group
Water quality and river environment wereperson” who act as both planner and executor isimproved. Planning of this project were made bynecessary. “Key person” may be from public sector

designer,or private sector. In any case, motivation should bespecialist

ofenvironment

matter,administrative office and resident’s group. At thedelivered to “Key person”

design stage, member of above group explained theirplan to other resident, and received feedback from

6. MEASURE

FORDELIVERING

residents. These activities made sense of “resident’s

MOTIVATION FOR “KEY PERSON”

river”. This sense is the source for maintaining theTo deliver motivation for “Key person”,
introduction of “pay for performance system” could

river environment by them.

be thought. But there is no complete performance
5. FACTORSTOREALIZEADMINISTRATIVE REFORMING
Table1 shows the relationship of planner andexecutor of case studies

estimation system exists. As a consequence, there ispossibility of reduction in motivation.
If “pay for performance system” is introduced,“Key person’s” challenge split should be importantfollowings.

factor of estimation.
Local government officials have been following
central government’s intention, and their businesssystem has not changed.

zPlan of reforming is not made by administrative
officials as executor.

This is one of the reasonsof present financial crisis. If present condition isz

Difficult to iron out for many stakeholders

continued, local governments will be collapsed.

z

Incentive to avoid responsibility for changing
previous system

Activity which changes their business system by
their own ideas is quite important.

Based on analysis, necessary matters to realize

Many of methods given by another person are
not useful. The other hand, method made by oneself

effective administrative reforming were found out.

to suite one’s situation and stolen method fromanother person by one’s mind are useful. To changez“Key person” who act as both planner andexecutor

business system, it is necessary to use someone’sidea. New business system is deduced from primitivez

To deliver motivation for “Key person”

idea.

z

Management system which uses someone’sJapanhasthecultureofbottom-up

primitive idea

decision-making and history of QC circle and“Kaizen” system. Management system which uses

REFERENCES

someone’s primitive idea is required.
JSCE Publication Committee, 2006, Hearings on
local Residents’ real intention, Japan Society of Civil

7. CONCLUSION
In this study, characteristics of Japanese local
governments were analyzed. Characteristics ofEngineers, 77-84 (book)
StephenP.

Robbins,

Inc, 78-79 (book)
There is “master and servant” relationshipbetweencentralgovernment

andlocalgovernments.
zBasis of “master and servant” relationshipbetweencentralgovernment

andlocalgovernments is financial support from centralgovernment.
z

Other background of “master and servant”
relationshipareincentivefor

avoiding

responsibility of local government’s officials,
high-ability of local government’s officials, lowability of local politicians.
By considering above characteristics, factors fornotexecuting

administrativereforming

Essentials

ofOrganizational Behavior, 5 Edition, Prentice-Hall,

Japanese local governments were followings.
z

1997,thare