Local governments in crisis mode

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Due to COVID-19, public administrations of municipalities in Germany are in crisis mode since many months. Crisis mode means here: They meet the pandemic situation by adopting special organizational structures and processes that are designed for crisis management. However, media repeatedly points to inconsistent administrative approaches across different municipalities. This becomes apparent in the diversity of official rules, regulations, and statements in communication with the public. A popular request is a uniform approach on the federal level.Crisis management and crisis communication by municipal administrations is an under-explored topic – compared to classic organizations of crisis management (e.g., police, emergency medical services, fire brigade, etc.). KoViK answers the multifaceted aspects of municipal crisis management with a promising interdisciplinary approach combining social science and safety engineering. The overall aim of the research project is threefold. First, by using the example of the COVID-19 crisis, to gain insights into practiced approaches of crisis management and crisis communication of municipal administrations. Second, to reflect these approaches by contrasting well-established crisis management modes. Third, to identify consequences of pluralistic approaches for the public and other stakeholders involved.The project uses a mixed-method design: Based on insights of content analyses regarding official administrative documents and media reports, semi-structured interviews will be conducted with representatives of various municipal administrations. Furthermore, a survey will address the public in order to gain insight into perceptions to municipal crisis management and crisis communications. Finally, qualitative and quantitative data will be triangulated.KoViK results in theoretical models for municipal crisis management that support the latter to better prepare for future crises by providing recommendations for professionalization and institutionalization, based on empirically collected and evaluated data. Central topics are the technical, organizational and social embedding of the crisis management staff operations, including crisis communication with the local population, into the daily work context in order to avoid excessive demands due to lack of knowledge and rarity of crisis events.