Enculturated Weberism Changing: A Comparative Study on Japan and Hungary through the Changes of Mobility Patterns

The paper compares Hungary and Japan – which are considered otherwise totally different – on the basis of being categorized as having typical legalistic-Weberian public administration cultures. The paper uses a composite... [ view full abstract ]

The paper compares Hungary and Japan – which are considered otherwise totally different – on the basis of being categorized as having typical legalistic-Weberian public administration cultures. The paper uses a composite methodology to compare these two countries.
The traditional public administration model was imported to both countries in the second half of the 19th century in order to support comprehensive modernization of governance. Based on historical legacies, these models were enculturated and provide for tangible elements of contemporary public administrations as well. The paper asks whether the characteristics of the legalistic-Weberian models are still decisive or there is a certain “drifting away” from the original concept.
Research on mobility appears to be a field of interest in countries where there is dynamic flow of employees between sectors. Public-private mobility research is relatively rare in countries of “continental” public administration cultures where Weberian values including lifelong career system and loyalty to the bureaucracy are characteristic elements of the public administration culture. In such systems, mobility is a phenomenon that is contrary to the fundamental purpose of the career system and thus can be considered as a litmus test on whether the Weberian values are still culturally embedded or not. Both Japanese and Hungarian administrative cultures are generally referred to as hierarchic and top-down oriented ones with Weberian traditions and legalistic understanding of public administration. However, there is no common understanding on what exactly makes a country “legalistic” in terms of public administration.
Apart from inherited similarities in the public administration culture of the two counties, the following factors are brought into the analysis: the importance of legal profession in national public service, cross-sector mobility patterns, and public service motivation. Comparative analysis, based on secondary data analysis of Japanese National Personnel Authority and various Hungarian empirical researches, embraces certain main attributes that are characteristic of choosing public sector jobs or leaving them.
The paper, thus, first analyses the historical context to visualize how modern, hierarchical public administration models entered both countries in the 19th century as important components of modernization efforts. Then it describes public sector education and the proportion of law degrees in civil service personnel. Third, the paper analyses empirical data on mobility and motivations on entering or exiting civil service. Findings of mobility are used to examine whether contemporary civil servants career decisions underpin or refute statements on public administration culture. The paper concludes with some recommendations for education and continuous training throughout the career for these countries in transition of their administrative culture.