Associate Dean and Political Science Program Director, Dr. Rosario Laratta has published a new study with Springer Nature, a leading global publisher in Science, Technology, and Medicine, as well as Humanities and Social Sciences.
Dr. Laratta’s publication examines leadership in Japan’s central and local governments and was contributed to Springer Nature’s Global Encyclopedia of Public Administration, Public Policy, and Governance.
Link: Leadership in Japan’s Central and Local Government (Springer Nature)
Summary of the article:
The study analyzes leadership in Japan’s central and local governments as a hybrid system that combines hierarchical authority with collaborative governance. It conceptualizes leadership as a multifaceted process involving political actors, civil servants, and policy networks operating across institutional levels. Drawing on interdisciplinary perspectives, the research explores how leadership shapes decision-making, coordination, and policy implementation. Through case studies such as Japan’s response to COVID-19 and disaster management in Kumamoto, the study highlights both the resilience and adaptability of Japanese governance. It also identifies key challenges and ongoing reform dynamics, offering insights into how Japan’s leadership model may inform approaches to complex, multi-level governance in other contexts.