The Promotion Process of Administrative Staff to Middle Managers through Experience-based Learning in Japanese Higher Education Institutions

Abstract

　 This study aims to make a qualitative analysis of the promotion process of administrative staff to middle management level in Japanese higher education institutions. The main research question to be analyzed is whether learning from experience is as important in the promotion process in higher education institutions as previous studies have shown it to be in private companies. The main findings are as follows.

　 Firstly, learning from experience is more important than classroom-style training for administrative staff who are in line for managerial positions. Secondly, the scarcity of qualified managers who are able to design appropriate tasks for junior staff so as to improve their preparedness for management positions is a serious issue. Thirdly, the adoption of customer-oriented behavior by staff and the establishment of a personnel system to support them are crucial elements in protecting and enlarging the status of qualified managers. And fourthly, characteristic learning content in the workplace of university administrative staff comprises learning about internal structures and means getting a grasp of the needs of other sections, including the academic faculty, and taking forward optimal operational methods designed to maximize client satisfaction in the institution.