Is Intensive Accountability Conducive to the Implementation of COVID-19 Pandemic Containment Policies? An Empirical Study of Accountability, Blame Avoidance and Public Service Motivation

Abstract

Abstract:Based on questionnaire data of 1,298 grassroots civil servants in China, this study empirically tests the relationship between the risks perceived to be attached to accountability and the blame avoidance tendency to assess the impact of intensive accountability mechanisms adopted in China's early stages of COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) containment. It is found that intensive accountability may increase the blame avoidance tendency of grassroots civil servants and, by inhibiting the public service motivation, have a negative moderating effect. Prudent accountability and positive incentives are recommended for long-term COVID-19 containment in China.