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Agile and adaptive governance in crisis response: Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic

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  • Janssen, Marijn
  • van der Voort, Haiko

Abstract

Countries around the world have had to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak with limited information and confronting many uncertainties. Their ability to be agile and adaptive has been stressed, particularly in regard to the timing of policy measures, the level of decision centralization, the autonomy of decisions and the balance between change and stability. In this contribution we use our observations of responses to COVID-19 to reflect on agility and adaptive governance and provide tools to evaluate it after the dust has settled. Whereas agility relates mainly to the speed of response within given structures, adaptivity implies system-level changes throughout government. Existing institutional structures and tools can enable adaptivity and agility, which can be complimentary approaches. However, agility sometimes conflicts with adaptability. Our analysis points to the paradoxical nature of adaptive governance. Indeed, successful adaptive governance calls for both decision speed and sound analysis, for both centralized and decentralized decision-making, for both innovation and bureaucracy, and both science and politics.

Suggested Citation

  • Janssen, Marijn & van der Voort, Haiko, 2020. "Agile and adaptive governance in crisis response: Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 55(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ininma:v:55:y:2020:i:c:s0268401220309944
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2020.102180
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Lukas Heidt & Felix Gauger & Andreas Pfnür, 2023. "Work from Home Success: Agile work characteristics and the Mediating Effect of supportive HRM," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 17(6), pages 2139-2164, August.
    2. Bianco, Débora & Bueno, Adauto & Godinho Filho, Moacir & Latan, Hengky & Miller Devós Ganga, Gilberto & Frank, Alejandro G. & Chiappetta Jabbour, Charbel Jose, 2023. "The role of Industry 4.0 in developing resilience for manufacturing companies during COVID-19," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 256(C).
    3. Bhaskar Choudhuri & Praveen Ranjan Srivastava & Shivam Gupta & Ajay Kumar & Surajit Bag, 2021. "Determinants of Smart Digital Infrastructure Diffusion for Urban Public Services," Post-Print hal-03628404, HAL.
    4. Vivek Shastry & D Cale Reeves & Nicholas Willems & Varun Rai, 2022. "Policy and behavioral response to shock events: An agent-based model of the effectiveness and equity of policy design features," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 17(1), pages 1-21, January.
    5. Humphreys Javan Arunga, 2023. "Unpacking Organizational Adaptation Strategies: A Conceptual Review," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 7(11), pages 387-398, December.
    6. Bevaola Kusumasari & MD Enjat Munajat & Fadhli Zul Fauzi, 2023. "Measuring global pandemic governance: how countries respond to COVID-19," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 27(2), pages 603-629, June.
    7. Marco Di Giulio & Giancarlo Vecchi, 2023. "How “institutionalization” can work. Structuring governance for digital transformation in Italy," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 40(3), pages 406-432, May.
    8. Justice Nyigmah Bawole & Zachariah Langnel, 2023. "Administrative Reforms in the Ghanaian Public Services for Government Business Continuity During the COVID-19 Crisis," Public Organization Review, Springer, vol. 23(1), pages 181-196, March.
    9. Lingyue Li & Surong Zhang & Jinfeng Wang & Xiaoming Yang & Lan Wang, 2023. "Governing public health emergencies during the coronavirus disease outbreak: Lessons from four Chinese cities in the first wave," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 60(9), pages 1750-1770, July.

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