Conceptualizing and Explaining Flexibility in Administrative Crisis Management: A Cross-district Analysis in Germany
研究了德国2015/16年难民危机中235个地区的行政灵活性，发现灵活性差异主要由组织因素（领导自主权、财政资源、危机经验）而非危机规模决定，对危机应对的理论与实践有启示。
Abstract Flexibility in administrative crisis management is a frequently reported determinant for a successful crisis response. But there is little agreement about how to conceptualize, measure, and explain flexibility. We use a three-dimensional measure of administrative flexibility, capturing employees’ decision leeway, staff mobility, and organizational innovation in a crisis response. We then develop and test an explanation of variation in flexibility, focusing on the refugee crisis of 2015/16 in Germany and analyzing survey and socioeconomic data from 235 districts using linear regression analysis. The main finding is that differences in flexibility cannot be explained by the scope of the crisis in a district, but by organizational factors: Agencies with politically unconstrained leadership, with higher financial resources and more crisis-related experience, respond more flexible. These findings contribute to theorizing and explaining administrative flexibility in and beyond crisis management and have practical implications for crisis learning and preparation.