A paper titled “Unpacking Resilience in Public Administration: Insights From a Meta-Narrative Review” co-authored by Jixiang Li (PhD Student, University of Macau), Bo Wen (Associate Professor, University of Macau), and Shui-Yan Tang (Professor, University of Southern California), was recently published in Public Administration Review (PAR), the flagship journal in the field of public administration.
Employing a rigorous meta-narrative review approach, the study systematically examines and integrates 49 empirical studies that place “resilience” at the center of public administration inquiry. The authors distinguish three analytically distinct yet interrelated resilience narratives—maintenance, recovery, and adaptability. Building on this conceptual clarification, the study further develops a governance-oriented two-dimensional framework, structured around acute crises and long-term, slow-burning challenges, to explain how public organizations recalibrate governance modes and institutional designs under varying conditions of risk and stress. This framework illuminates how public sector actors may balance short-term service continuity with long-term institutional transformation. The article also offers a reflective discussion of the practical tensions and ethical challenges inherent in resilience-oriented governance.
PAR is the academic journal hosted by the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA). Established in the 1940s, PAR is regarded as the most influential flagship publication in the field of public administration and management, covering both public sector theory and practice. This study was supported by the University of Macau Start-up Research Grant (SRG2024-00005-FSS) and the Multi-Year Research Grant (MYRG-GRG2024-00033-FSS, Level 2). This publication marks a significant milestone for the international visibility and academic influence of the University of Macau’s public administration discipline.
Jixiang Li is the first author of the paper; Bo Wen is the co–first author and sole corresponding author; Shui-Yan Tang is a co-author. The full text is available at: DOI: 10.1111/puar.70083
