The Korea Local Administration Review

This study explores factors resulting in inefficiency in a social program by examiningoverlaps of multiple programs and classifying complexity of delivery system intovertical and horizontal dimension. The term of efficiency is measured in terms ofinput and output based on economic or technical efficiency, which is applied to theDelivery System of the Job Provision for the Aged in Korea. The vertical dimensionof complexity is identified through a formal structure of central-provincial-local-clientand then is analyzed by budget flows and expenditures and number of job provisionto and increase of income of the aged. The horizontal dimension is distinguished throughrelationships between central government and the designated institution and betweenmunicipal government and several service delivery organizations. The research resultsshow that an overlap in job provision to the aged and complexities of delivery systembring about a partial inefficiency. The senior club as designated institutions to deliverself-support type of the program, for example still results in relatively high inefficiencyat the local level.
□ Keywords: (in)efficiency, complexity, welfare delivery system, social program