Social Sciences in China (Chinese Edition)

No. 4, 2022

The Generative Mechanisms for the Effectiveness of Emergency Management in China

(Abstract)

Zhang Haibo and Tong Xing

The new theme of the effectiveness of emergency management can drive the paradigm shift of theoretical innovation in Chinese practice. It can be seen as a composite of emergency management functioning and performance; a positive result of the combined effect of emergency management objectives, structures and processes. In China’s case, emergency management effectiveness is generated by three main strategies. The first is the objective of “safety first,” which places a high priority on emergency management in terms of the allocation of policy attention and monitoring of policy implementation; the second is the structural “unity and diversity,” or the continuous development of multi-actor synergy mechanisms that can act in concert and complement resources; and the third is “planned adaptation,” which emphasizes both planning for adaptation and adaptation to improve planning in driving a balanced total process. The cause-and-effect model of emergency management effectiveness in China has been developed accordingly, and the corresponding case studies have demonstrated its applicability under different spatial and temporal conditions. Dialogue with the four existing mainstream theories not only demonstrates the integration of this model but also resets the logical starting point of emergency management and provides a more powerful explanatory theoretical representation of the generation of emergency management effectiveness in China. To further improve the effectiveness of emergency management in China, the model needs to be expanded and enriched by exploring three key issues: the “safety first” sustainable approach, the “unity and diversity” optimal equilibrium, and the consistency effect of “planned adaptation.”