Taskforces: a cure for all ills? Policy advisory systems in times of polycrises
This article explores the flourishing claims to create crisis taskforces in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Are taskforces a remedy for all crises? Taskforces are ad-hoc created groups of highly specialized experts who provide advice to policymakers. They have the advantages of flexibility and al...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2024-10-01
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| Series: | Policy Design and Practice |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/25741292.2024.2432114 |
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| _version_ | 1850175464099807232 |
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| author | Céline Mavrot Caroline Schlaufer Johanna Hornung Fritz Sager Caspar Hirschi Dylan Jaton |
| author_facet | Céline Mavrot Caroline Schlaufer Johanna Hornung Fritz Sager Caspar Hirschi Dylan Jaton |
| author_sort | Céline Mavrot |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This article explores the flourishing claims to create crisis taskforces in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Are taskforces a remedy for all crises? Taskforces are ad-hoc created groups of highly specialized experts who provide advice to policymakers. They have the advantages of flexibility and allow to recruit high-level competences for short-term mandates. However, taskforces are not a panacea, as different types of crises (e.g. creeping crises, disruptive events, cyclical crises) require different types of policy advisory systems. A taskforce is also a short-term, reactive model, which runs the risk of politicization. This article analyzes the suitability of the taskforce model in various situations and compares expert advice provided to decision-makers during the financial crisis and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Switzerland. It answers the question of what types of advisory systems suit what type of crisis. The contribution shows that in the era of polycrises, one size does not fit all and the distinctive characteristics of crises must be considered to find a fit-for-purpose approach. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c5721fd473db4573b00a26936c99843a |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2574-1292 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-10-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Policy Design and Practice |
| spelling | doaj-art-c5721fd473db4573b00a26936c99843a2025-08-20T02:19:27ZengTaylor & Francis GroupPolicy Design and Practice2574-12922024-10-017444245510.1080/25741292.2024.2432114Taskforces: a cure for all ills? Policy advisory systems in times of polycrisesCéline Mavrot0Caroline Schlaufer1Johanna Hornung2Fritz Sager3Caspar Hirschi4Dylan Jaton5Institute of Social Sciences, University of Lausanne, Institut des sciences sociales, Université de Lausanne, Quartier UNIL-Mouline, Bâtiment Géopolis, Lausanne, SwitzerlandKPM Center for Public Management, University of Bern, Kompetenzzentrum für Public Management, Universität Bern, Bern, SchweizKPM Center for Public Management, University of Bern, Kompetenzzentrum für Public Management, Universität Bern, Bern, SchweizKPM Center for Public Management, University of Bern, Kompetenzzentrum für Public Management, Universität Bern, Bern, SchweizSchool of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of St.Gallen, Lehrstuhl für Allgemeine Geschichte, Universität St. Gallen, St. Gallen, SchweizFederal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC), Swiss Federal Office of Energy, Ittigen, SwitzerlandThis article explores the flourishing claims to create crisis taskforces in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Are taskforces a remedy for all crises? Taskforces are ad-hoc created groups of highly specialized experts who provide advice to policymakers. They have the advantages of flexibility and allow to recruit high-level competences for short-term mandates. However, taskforces are not a panacea, as different types of crises (e.g. creeping crises, disruptive events, cyclical crises) require different types of policy advisory systems. A taskforce is also a short-term, reactive model, which runs the risk of politicization. This article analyzes the suitability of the taskforce model in various situations and compares expert advice provided to decision-makers during the financial crisis and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Switzerland. It answers the question of what types of advisory systems suit what type of crisis. The contribution shows that in the era of polycrises, one size does not fit all and the distinctive characteristics of crises must be considered to find a fit-for-purpose approach.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/25741292.2024.2432114Crisis governancescientific expertisetaskforcepolicy advisory systemCOVID-19polycrisis |
| spellingShingle | Céline Mavrot Caroline Schlaufer Johanna Hornung Fritz Sager Caspar Hirschi Dylan Jaton Taskforces: a cure for all ills? Policy advisory systems in times of polycrises Policy Design and Practice Crisis governance scientific expertise taskforce policy advisory system COVID-19 polycrisis |
| title | Taskforces: a cure for all ills? Policy advisory systems in times of polycrises |
| title_full | Taskforces: a cure for all ills? Policy advisory systems in times of polycrises |
| title_fullStr | Taskforces: a cure for all ills? Policy advisory systems in times of polycrises |
| title_full_unstemmed | Taskforces: a cure for all ills? Policy advisory systems in times of polycrises |
| title_short | Taskforces: a cure for all ills? Policy advisory systems in times of polycrises |
| title_sort | taskforces a cure for all ills policy advisory systems in times of polycrises |
| topic | Crisis governance scientific expertise taskforce policy advisory system COVID-19 polycrisis |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/25741292.2024.2432114 |
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