Jong S. Jun
Why is total quality management not popular in Japanese public administration - 1998 - p.275-88 - Jun
This article aims to find out how Japanese public administration deals with issues of organizational performance. The study begins with a brief analysis of `debureaucratization' through deregulation, privatization and activation of the third sector have been emphasized in governance reform strategies, along with decentralization. While Japan's reform strategies contain some of these strategies, the patterns of change over the past 50 years suggest that political leaders and bureaucrats tend to seek modest incremental changes. In this article, we sketch Japan's decentralization reform efforts by focusing on the historical development of IGR(Wright, 1988). Central-local relations in Japan have not only been highly centralized and controversial; they have also been rational and even cost-saving. Urbanization and rapid economic growth, however, have promoted greater diversity in local politics. They have also contributed to the policy competence of local governments. These political dynamics are becoming a fixed feature of Japanese IGR (Koike, 1990; Muramatsu, 1988). Nevertheless, the promotion of decentralization has been discussed mainly from the standpoint of administrative efficiency rather than political leadership, efficacy and diversity. The administrative emphasis reflects the strong bureaucratic-based character of governance reforms in Japan. - Reproduced
Public administration - Japan
Total quality management - Japan
Public administration
Why is total quality management not popular in Japanese public administration - 1998 - p.275-88 - Jun
This article aims to find out how Japanese public administration deals with issues of organizational performance. The study begins with a brief analysis of `debureaucratization' through deregulation, privatization and activation of the third sector have been emphasized in governance reform strategies, along with decentralization. While Japan's reform strategies contain some of these strategies, the patterns of change over the past 50 years suggest that political leaders and bureaucrats tend to seek modest incremental changes. In this article, we sketch Japan's decentralization reform efforts by focusing on the historical development of IGR(Wright, 1988). Central-local relations in Japan have not only been highly centralized and controversial; they have also been rational and even cost-saving. Urbanization and rapid economic growth, however, have promoted greater diversity in local politics. They have also contributed to the policy competence of local governments. These political dynamics are becoming a fixed feature of Japanese IGR (Koike, 1990; Muramatsu, 1988). Nevertheless, the promotion of decentralization has been discussed mainly from the standpoint of administrative efficiency rather than political leadership, efficacy and diversity. The administrative emphasis reflects the strong bureaucratic-based character of governance reforms in Japan. - Reproduced
Public administration - Japan
Total quality management - Japan
Public administration