Administrative resilience and adaptive capacity of administrative system: A critical conceptual review

Abstract

Resilience development is viewed as a practical and effective approach to overcome the dynamic and uncertain conditions of an administrative system. This article explores factors of public administration that can enhance the adaptive capacity of administrative systems to achieve resilience. A conceptual model is developed, based on an extensive literature review, to interpret administrative resilience across several indicators. In addition, the case of Bangladesh riverine island (char) areas served as a case study validating the conceptual model. The study reveals that administrative resilience is the ability of the administrative system to provide appropriate measures to uncertainties and bounce back to previous conditions after facing risks, shocks, and disasters, and other threats to organizational stability. It also argues that administrative resilience is far better than the conventional administrative approaches in terms of organizational flexibility, quick response to uncertain and rapidly changing conditions, and strengthening the socio-ecological system for tackling vulnerability. Case study analysis confirms the conceptual model and reveals a great need to improve administrative resilience practices in riverine islands.