Why officials are held strictly accountable: a qualitative comparative analysis of emergencies in China
使用模糊集定性比较分析，研究中国42起突发事件中官员被严格问责的条件和因果机制，发现责任类型和事故严重性是关键因素，为非西方背景下的问责研究提供实证。
This study explores the conditions and circumstances of officials being held strictly accountable. Using fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fs/QCA), we study accountability of officials in 42 emergency incidents in China. The analysis reveals different but functionally equivalent causal conditions leading to strict accountability of officials. The findings highlight the importance of responsibility type and accident severity for strict accountability and demonstrate its mechanism and causal relationships. The study’s contribution provides empirical evidence of officials’ strict accountability in a non-Western context, revealing its antecedents and causal chains and offering insights to policymakers for strengthening the accountability framework.