Accountability in times of exception: an exploratory study of account-giving practices during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy
| Autor: | Leonardo Rinaldi, Michele Andreaus, Caterina Pesci, Andrea Girardi |
|---|---|
| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Rok vydání: | 2021 |
| Předmět: |
Government
Public Administration Styles of accountability Strategy and Management media_common.quotation_subject Corporate governance 05 social sciences Rebuttal Exploratory research COVID-19 State of exception 050201 accounting Public administration 0506 political science Dismissal Italy Originality Political science 0502 economics and business Accountability 050602 political science & public administration media_common |
| Popis: | PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the role of accountability in times of exception. The Italian government's account-giving practices are critically analysed with respect to the distinct modes in which duties of accountability are discharged for the exceptional measures taken during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in early 2020.Design/methodology/approachThis paper draws on an exploratory case study. The case analysis draws primarily on data obtained through publicly available documents and covers the period between January 1 and August 7, 2020.FindingsThe paper reveals that the Italian government employed various accountability styles (rebuttal, dismissal, reactive, proactive and coactive). Each style influenced both how the government justified its conduct and how it sought to form distinctive relationships with social actors.Originality/valueThe paper uses the notion of “styles of accountability” to empirically illustrate how an unprecedented public governance challenge can reveal broader accountability trends. The paper contributes to accountability research by elucidating how governments tackle ambiguity and uncertainty in their systems of public accountability in extraordinary times. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
| Externí odkaz: |
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