Revisiting "big questions" of public administration after COVID-19: a systematic review. Issue 3 (3rd July 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Liu, Ting-An-Xu; Wightman, G. Breck; Lee, Euipyo; Hunter, Jordan
• Is Part Of: Asia Pacific journal of public administration. Volume 43:Issue 3(2021)
• Page Start: 131
• Page End: 168
• Publication Date: 2021-07-03
• Subjects: COVID-19 -- systematic review -- public administration -- big questions; Public administration -- Pacific Area -- Periodicals; Public administration -- Periodicals; Pacific Area -- Politics and government -- Periodicals; Periodicals; 351
• DOI: 10.1080/23276665.2021.1947862
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2327-6665

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The COVID-19 pandemic has imposed changes on governments across the world. Scholars responded to this crisis with a wide range of comparative studies and theoretical alternatives that addressed "big questions" of public administration. To summarise what we now know about governments, citizens, and civil society as a result of this pandemic, we conduct a systematic review of 188 articles using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. While the range of topics addressed was broad, we began our review by narrowing our focus ex-ante to studies that addressed three "big questions" of public administration: (1) What are the instruments of collective action?; (2) How shall tensions between national and subnational governments be resolved?; and (3) How can processes of societal learning be improved? Two additional "big questions" later emerged from the review process itself: (4) How can public trust in governments be fostered? and (5) Do public services enhance social equity? Answers to each of these questions are reviewed in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.