INNER TENSIONS OF GOVERNANCE RESILIENCE ——A Comparative Analysis of COVID-19 Responses in China and America

• In Event: Student Research: Comparative Public Policy

Abstract

This study investigates the institutional foundations and dynamic expressions of governance resilience by comparing the COVID-19 policy exit processes in China and the United States. We conceptualize governance resilience as comprising three interrelated dimensions: flexibility (the speed of policy adjustment), stability (the duration of policy continuity), and effectiveness (the overall social and economic outcomes of policy implementation). While both countries navigated similar public health transitions following the acute phase of the pandemic, they exhibited markedly different governance patterns rooted in their institutional structures.

Methodologically, we adopt a mixed-methods approach combining time-series analysis and institutional process tracing. Using panel data on COVID-19 mortality rates, public health expenditures, policy stringency, and economic indicators, we construct a dynamic policy exit suitability index to evaluate governance performance. Our quantitative analysis reveals that the U.S. responded to evolving pandemic conditions with rapid policy shifts and high responsiveness, reflecting stronger flexibility. However, these frequent adjustments lacked coherence and sustained impact, undermining policy stability and long-term effectiveness. In contrast, China exhibited a more deliberate and consistent approach. Although slower to relax measures, its centralized coordination mechanisms enhanced policy stability and produced more effective socio-economic outcomes.

Our qualitative findings attribute these differences to distinct state-society relations and central-local governance structures. The U.S. governance model, driven by federalism and market-based coordination, empowered state governments and private actors but struggled with fragmented authority and inconsistent national leadership. Conversely, China's hierarchical state apparatus enabled decisive nationwide policy implementation and intergovernmental alignment, but limited local discretion and bottom-up policy feedback.

This study contributes to the literature by introducing a multi-dimensional and operationalized framework of governance resilience, and by empirically identifying how institutional configurations mediate crisis response capabilities. We argue that governance resilience is not merely a function of adaptability or control, but a strategic balance between flexibility, stability, and effectiveness.

In light of future global crises, this research offers valuable comparative insights into how different governance models can enhance or constrain resilience, and it informs public administration scholars and policymakers seeking to craft robust, equitable, and sustainable emergency response frameworks.

Authors

• Luobing Deng, Renmin University of China
  Presenting Author

• Jiatong Wang, Renmin University of China
  Non-Presenting Co-Author

• Peifan Li, Renmin University of China
  Non-Presenting Co-Author

• Ziyue Cui, Renmin University of China
  Non-Presenting Co-Author