Tracing divergence in crisis governance : responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in France, Germany and Sweden compared
(2021) In International Review of Administrative Sciences 87(3). p.556-575- Abstract
- This cross-country comparison of administrative responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in France, Germany and Sweden is aimed at exploring how institutional contexts and administrative cultures have shaped strategies of problem-solving and governance modes during the pandemic, and to what extent the crisis has been used for opportunity management. The article shows that in France, the central government reacted determinedly and hierarchically, with tough containment measures. By contrast, the response in Germany was characterized by an initial bottom-up approach that gave way to remarkable federal unity in the further course of the crisis, followed again by a return to regional variance and local discretion. In Sweden, there was a continuation... (More)
- This cross-country comparison of administrative responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in France, Germany and Sweden is aimed at exploring how institutional contexts and administrative cultures have shaped strategies of problem-solving and governance modes during the pandemic, and to what extent the crisis has been used for opportunity management. The article shows that in France, the central government reacted determinedly and hierarchically, with tough containment measures. By contrast, the response in Germany was characterized by an initial bottom-up approach that gave way to remarkable federal unity in the further course of the crisis, followed again by a return to regional variance and local discretion. In Sweden, there was a continuation of ‘normal governance’ and a strategy of relying on voluntary compliance largely based on recommendations and less – as in Germany and France – on a strategy of imposing legally binding regulations. The comparative analysis also reveals that relevant stakeholders in all three countries have used the crisis as an opportunity for changes in the institutional settings and administrative procedures. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/e3ea3fdf-3472-4082-8742-3345bb3e8f33
- author
- Kuhlmann, Sabine LU ; Hellström, Mikael LU ; Ramberg, Ulf LU and Reiter, Renate
- organization
- publishing date
- 2021-01-06
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- administrative culture, containment, crisis, governance, multi-level system, policy advice, public health, window of opportunity
- in
- International Review of Administrative Sciences
- volume
- 87
- issue
- 3
- pages
- 556 - 575
- publisher
- SAGE Publications
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85099084626
- ISSN
- 1461-7226
- DOI
- 10.1177/0020852320979359
- project
- Public Management Research
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- e3ea3fdf-3472-4082-8742-3345bb3e8f33
- date added to LUP
- 2021-01-15 15:38:45
- date last changed
- 2024-06-14 08:12:43
@article{e3ea3fdf-3472-4082-8742-3345bb3e8f33, abstract = {{This cross-country comparison of administrative responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in France, Germany and Sweden is aimed at exploring how institutional contexts and administrative cultures have shaped strategies of problem-solving and governance modes during the pandemic, and to what extent the crisis has been used for opportunity management. The article shows that in France, the central government reacted determinedly and hierarchically, with tough containment measures. By contrast, the response in Germany was characterized by an initial bottom-up approach that gave way to remarkable federal unity in the further course of the crisis, followed again by a return to regional variance and local discretion. In Sweden, there was a continuation of ‘normal governance’ and a strategy of relying on voluntary compliance largely based on recommendations and less – as in Germany and France – on a strategy of imposing legally binding regulations. The comparative analysis also reveals that relevant stakeholders in all three countries have used the crisis as an opportunity for changes in the institutional settings and administrative procedures.}}, author = {{Kuhlmann, Sabine and Hellström, Mikael and Ramberg, Ulf and Reiter, Renate}}, issn = {{1461-7226}}, keywords = {{administrative culture, containment, crisis, governance, multi-level system, policy advice, public health, window of opportunity}}, language = {{eng}}, month = {{01}}, number = {{3}}, pages = {{556--575}}, publisher = {{SAGE Publications}}, series = {{International Review of Administrative Sciences}}, title = {{Tracing divergence in crisis governance : responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in France, Germany and Sweden compared}}, url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0020852320979359}}, doi = {{10.1177/0020852320979359}}, volume = {{87}}, year = {{2021}}, }