Ready, set, crisis – transitioning to crisis mode in local public administration
研究地方公共行政如何从日常官僚模式有效切换到危机模式，基于德国地方机构应对新冠疫情的调查数据，发现组织、技术和个人的准备比危机严重程度更重要。
Local public administrations are typically the first responders during disruptive crisis events. Building on literature on fast-response organizations, this study theorizes on their ability to transition effectively from routine bureaucracy to crisis mode. Empirically, we study early responses to COVID-19 in Germany with agency-level survey data. The findings suggest that an effective switch between practices cannot be explained by crisis severity alone. Instead, organizational, technical, and individual preparedness of local administrations matter. These results provide insights into the conditions that enable administrations to respond effectively to crisis events, offering a comprehensive understanding of crisis management capabilities at the local level.