Performance Information Use in Mayoral Accountability

The research is based on three main research questions. First, how do differences in institutional environments between Japan and the UK impact mayoral accountability? Second, what are the findings from semi-structured interviews examining the relationship between mayoral attributes and performance information utilization? Third, what factors promote and what factors hinder mayoral accountability?

Using the four-dimensional accountability framework proposed by Romzek and Dubnick (1987)—comprising bureaucratic, political, legal, and professional accountability—this study empirically clarifies the conditions necessary for enhancing mayoral accountability.  Akinari Takehisa obtained an MBA in Public Service from the School of Public Policy at the University of Birmingham in 2003, subsequently worked at Deloitte, and then served as the directly elected mayor of Setouchi City, Japan, for four consecutive terms spanning 16 years, retiring upon the expiry of his term in June 2025. He is currently working on his doctoral thesis as a Visiting Researcher at Nottingham Business School, Nottingham Trent University.