DEVELOPING A METHODOLOGY PACKAGE FOR LOCAL CAPITAL STOCKS MANAGEMENT : A CASE STUDY IN ICHIHARA CITY

Abstract

It is necessary that capital stocks be maintained in order to achieve environmental
sustainability. However, there is as yet no firmly established methodology for maintaining and managing
capital stocks. This study focuses on one example of a developmental process which took place in order to
create a methodology package that will assist city officials and others such as the staff of not-for-profit
organisations in Japan to manage local capital stocks. The methodology package has two main elements:
providing access to a simulator which shows expected changes in local capital stocks in each city; and
providing workshops to promote the sharing of knowledge and discussion among local students and people
of other generations. Through the implementation of this methodology package by the project members, it
has been found that these two elements generated a realisation within junior high school and high school
students of expected changes to each city, and encouraged a diversity of ideas among them. Through
promoting the sharing of ideas, this package has proved effective as a tool for generating suggestions
regarding the management of capital stocks which have then been presented by participants at the workshops
to the local mayor.