The Architecture of Overcommitment in Cultural Infrastructure: A Case Study of Lock-in and Cost Overrun in the Sendai Music Hall Project

Fuente: Zenodo
Guardado en:
Detalles Bibliográficos
Autor principal: Tohoku I-ST
Formato: Recurso digital
Publicado: Zenodo 2026
Acceso en línea:
Etiquetas: Agregar Etiqueta
Sin Etiquetas, Sea el primero en etiquetar este registro!
_version_ 1866902118134185984
author Tohoku I-ST
author_facet Tohoku I-ST
contents <p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span>Abstract</span></strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>Large-scale infrastructure projects are characterized globally by significant cost overruns, often attributed to technical, economic, psychological, or political factors. This study applies the “Lock-in” framework—defined as the escalating commitment of decision-makers to an ineffective course of action—to the Sendai Music Hall project in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. Sendai City, a designated city of 1 million within a prefecture of 2 million, serves as a critical model for regional cultural economic policy. By analyzing the project’s budget expansion from an initial sustainable estimate of 3.0–5.0 billion yen to a projected 64.6 billion yen, this paper identifies lock-in indicators: sunk costs, the need for justification, and strategic misrepresentation. The results suggest that the “real decision to build” preceded the formal announcement, creating a path-dependent trajectory that marginalized more efficient alternatives.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span>Research Positioning and Conflict of Interest</span></strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span>Positioning:</span></strong><span> This study is conducted by an independent citizen researcher for the purpose of objective archival record-keeping and academic inquiry. It is not intended to criticize any specific organization, group, or individual but rather to serve as a record for future policy review.<br><strong>Conflict of Interest:</strong> The author declares no conflicts of interest. This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.</span></p>
format Recurso digital
id zenodo_https___doi_org_10_5281_zenodo_19694910
institution Zenodo
language
publishDate 2026
publisher Zenodo
record_format zenodo
spellingShingle The Architecture of Overcommitment in Cultural Infrastructure: A Case Study of Lock-in and Cost Overrun in the Sendai Music Hall Project
Tohoku I-ST
<p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span>Abstract</span></strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>Large-scale infrastructure projects are characterized globally by significant cost overruns, often attributed to technical, economic, psychological, or political factors. This study applies the “Lock-in” framework—defined as the escalating commitment of decision-makers to an ineffective course of action—to the Sendai Music Hall project in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. Sendai City, a designated city of 1 million within a prefecture of 2 million, serves as a critical model for regional cultural economic policy. By analyzing the project’s budget expansion from an initial sustainable estimate of 3.0–5.0 billion yen to a projected 64.6 billion yen, this paper identifies lock-in indicators: sunk costs, the need for justification, and strategic misrepresentation. The results suggest that the “real decision to build” preceded the formal announcement, creating a path-dependent trajectory that marginalized more efficient alternatives.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span>Research Positioning and Conflict of Interest</span></strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span>Positioning:</span></strong><span> This study is conducted by an independent citizen researcher for the purpose of objective archival record-keeping and academic inquiry. It is not intended to criticize any specific organization, group, or individual but rather to serve as a record for future policy review.<br><strong>Conflict of Interest:</strong> The author declares no conflicts of interest. This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.</span></p>
title The Architecture of Overcommitment in Cultural Infrastructure: A Case Study of Lock-in and Cost Overrun in the Sendai Music Hall Project
url https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19694910