The purpose of this study is to find out a scheme to promote community development in the era of globalization and localization through the revitalization of international exchange in local government inquiring into problems after investigating & anal...
The purpose of this study is to find out a scheme to promote community development in the era of globalization and localization through the revitalization of international exchange in local government inquiring into problems after investigating & analyzing the international exchange policy and then by suggesting the alternatives for a new local development.
For that, a preceding study and a case study on the basis of a theoretical investigation on the international exchange policy of local government were done, especially for a basis analysis centering on an administrative support system which is the core factor of international exchange system in local governments, an analysis on the contents of all kinds of international exchange activities and more concrete field-analysis, an alternative to secure the efficiency of international exchange policy through recognition analysis on the related person was proposed.
The results of study can be summarized as follows;
First, from its basis analysis, it's found that organization, manpower, budget, outside support system, which is administrative support system of local government, has been gradually developed, but there was something to be desired in several fields in terms of coping with international circumstances change.
Especially, in an administrative support system, most international exchange-related departments of local government were reduced in terms of their size with 'IMF crisis'.
Manpower also was insufficient in professional knowledge and low in the degree of its practical use, and financial source had a limitation in an effective carrying-out of international exchange policy with 0.1% of total estimated expenditures every year in case of Gyeongsanbuk-do. Outside support system was also in need of more support from local government. Sisterhood relationship establishment with foreign local governments has been made much of the ones in China, USA and Japan with improvised establishment without enough preparation.
Second, from a project analysis, it's found that ① the dispatch of civil servants to foreign countries was not quite satisfactory in terms of after-management, ② the Gyeongju World Culture EXPO and joint projects among local governments of the NEAR(Northeast Asia Regions)Association were somewhat helpful in cultural exchange and mutual understanding, but there was a limitation in terms of economy like overseas investment inducement, ③ when looking at economy and trade cooperation of Gyeongsangbuk-do, the dispatch of overseas trade mission obtained much good fruits such as giving a chance for small & medium-sized firms to do business in overseas countries, but for more substantial effect, carefully thought-out strategies & plan such as overseas market information collection are needed with a thorough preparation.
Real practice of joint project bringing mutual interests is poor with a limitation in the diplomatic ties of each local governments in terms of the exchange and cooperation among the NEAR member local government. International trade show participation, business meeting with overseas buyers, overseas standing exhibition center operation become a good chance for small & medium-sized firms with business meetings to promote an exportation, but it has ended in one time event due to poor market investigation, and foreign investment inducement policy are also insufficient in making investment environments. Economy and trade policy of local government brought much fruits, but substantial trade activity was not quite satisfied.
Third, the recognition analysis results show that the contents in analysis on the recognition of local government employees and on the one of economic trade field of firms which had participated in the overseas trade mission for last 3 years were same or similar to the analysis contents on literature & materials of admisnistrative bodies, especially many small & medium-sized enterprises felt not quite satisfied with administrative & financial support, vocational technicial training, exportation, wage-freeze policy, local dispersion policy of economic structure from local & central government and the KOTRA and in overseas market information.
Some proposals on the basis of this findings are as follows as a scheme to promote the international exchange in local governments ;
First, to strengthen the basis for international exchange policy of local government,
① International exchange organization at bureau·department level should be established with the enhancement of its function. In case of wide range local government, the expansion reinforcement of its function by bureau·department unit in most of the department units is needed for effective performance of business. ② The preparation of inducement measure for professional manpower expansion and the establishment of effective measure are needed with the preparation of a system by which one can secure professional manpower properly and persons of ability. ③ A strategy to secure local finance should be established searching for proper measures to raise the funds such as establishing separate funds or compulsory formation & operation of 0.5~1.0% of total local government budgets into the international exchange one. ④ Positive support in terms of administration, finance and information from central government is needed.⑤ The revitalization of sisterhood relationship and making it substantial is needed so that it becomes not formal exchange by the policy of an upper organization but substantial one bringing satisfactory results, considering given circumstances of local government and the possibility of future growth.
Second, as a scheme to revitalize the international exchange in terms of business,
① Educational training of civil servants to cultivate international professional manpower should be enhanced with the preparation of a system for proper disposition of highly qualified manpower in international exchange such as officials and local government representatives trained abroad ② Economic effect of Gyeongju World Culture EXPO should also be reviewed. ③ Joint project in exchange and cooperation business among the NEAR member local governments is needed. ④ Continuous efforts in exchange & cooperation project among sister cities is needed. ⑤ Overseas trade mission activities by local small & medium-sized enterprises should be revitalized. In dispatching overseas trade misssion, there is some problems such as poor overseas marketing information and language barrier in business meeting with buyers. Thus, a thorough after-management of business meeting with foreign buyers concerning goods exportation is needed so that a basis for making inroads into the overseas market can be prepared. ⑥ The operation of overseas standing exhibition center should be made after carefully investigating field market environments. ⑦ For foreign investment inducement, foreign exclusive industrial complex should be prepared with the establishment of investment environments. ⑧ More interest in economic trade activities by local government officials is needed. Positive, competitive overseas sales activities by local government officials have been made, but continuous efforts should be needed so that substantial fruits can be brought. ⑨ The support for small & medium-sized enterprises should be increased. As a part of support work for small & medium-sized enterprises, the KOTRA and local government should support administrative works about overseas information, buyer introduction and technicians formation, and central government should make the implement of decentralization policy of economic structure with the expansion of export support funds.
The existing studies referring to the international exchange by local government remain at the level of establishing sisterhood relations becoming a basis for international exchange and of administrative support system, while this study has dealt with the issues of economic & trade field, investment inducement etc. giving great weight, hoping that international exchange is helpful for regional economy by positively participating in this activity by local governmentsl.
This thesis would like to point out the fact that international exchange by local government has enriched the substance and had made actual fruits enrich by officials of local government though there was a quantitative growth, and to put emphasis on that an effort to make the activity more substantial business is needed.
However I make clear that this study leaves something to be desired in the in-depth analysis of a specific field by synthetically dealing with the whole international exchange policy of local government.
Even though the survey & analysis of opinion from civil servants and enterprises was made, it's recognized that there was an unreasonableness in generalization due to a limitation in size and subjects.
I eagerly expect that more in-depth and continuous follow-up sutdy on international exchange policy of local government is made in the future.