A study on relationship among rational actor, organizational behavior and governmental politics in the making process of ‘act on the development of exhibition industry’: an Allison Model approach

With MICE(Meeting, Incentive Tour, Conference(Convention), Exhibition(Events)) Industry, Korean Exhibition Industry has been growing qualitatively and quantitatively over the last 20 years. A strong policy commitment and support from government made an exhibition industry as a ‘new growth engine.’ However, despite the importance of policy, only a few studies on policy-making process by the Korean exhibition industry with specific targets were developed. The purpose of the present study was to examine the background and process of the ‘Exhibition Industry Development Act’ enacted in 2008 as a result of the exhibition industry development policy. In nature, a making process is reasonable to be described as a model of complex shape rather than the model of a single type. Theoretically, it was adapted by ‘Allison Model’ which was comprehensively considered a policy-making process in three aspects, ‘the rational actor’, ‘organizational behavior’ and ‘governmental politics’. Methodically, a literature review such as minutes, reports and press releases of the National Assembly and the government on the ‘Exhibition Industry Development Act’ making process was conducted. The results show that the exhibition industry policy-making process was promoted by MOTIE(Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy) as a rational actor, relevant government ministries have acted organically in accordance with promoting pan-governmental policy. But 'Act on the Development of Exhibition Industry' did not leat to the result of rational decision-making between actors and organizations and was finally enacted by the MOTIE's own propulsion in competition with the governmental politics. Because the scope of this study is limited to the exhibition industry policy-making process, further studies need to be extended throughout the exhibition industry in the entire policy process including policy implementation and evaluation. As a result, the study on MICE related-policies and regulations that integrates very divided convention and exhibition sectors should go on.