Governance and Management for National University Corporations: Organizational Responses to Institutional Reforms

Abstract

The Japanese government has promoted reforms for national universities since their corporatization: classification by focused activities, allocation of operating grants based on performance, introducing designated national university corporation system, and a system holding national universities. The movement is from an institutional perspective, considered an adoption of government, business, and academic logics into national university corporations. Business logic is used in governance and management through government logic functioning with less money. In the hybrid organization, the three logics complement and strengthen each other. Also, an "internationally excellent research university system" is caused by business logic whereby income from a fiscal loan fund will be distributed to the system. It is uncertain however whether the reform will result in successful outcomes due to the competing logics of universities.