The International Association of public Management Research (AIRMAP) brings together institutions as well as French and foreign researchers specialized in the fields of public management and public action. AIRMAP is a forum for exchange between academia and public action actors, and a place for exploring innovative ideas, instruments and practices.

The 12th AIRMAP Conference, which will take place at University of Burgundy from 24 to 26 May 2023, will have as its theme "Public management, crisis and post-crisis: permanence in change? ".

AIRMAP invites Management and Social Science communities to present communications either on this theme or on one of the following recurring public management themes: territorial marketing, public finance, governance of educational facilities or of health facilities, history of public administrations, local and regional management, tourism management, managing safety, logistics, information systems or e-administration.

The communications can have the shape of:

-  Theoretical contributions ;

-  Field research work ;

-  Presentations of new operational tools, methods and diagnosis ;

 The Conference aims to highlight:

-  A pluralism of methodological, conceptual and empirical approaches,

-  Diagnosis based on local and comparative surveys,

-  Innovation in operational approaches,

-  New research conducted by young researchers.

The world today is more complex, unstable and connected than ever. Many unpredictable phenomena unbalance societies, causing crises, standstills and changes that can overwhelm them permanently. During this conference, we wish to question the changes in the field of public management (PM) induced by the economic, financial and societal mutations brought to light by the health crisis. What are the consequences of these changes on PM? How can PM sustainably emerge from these crises in the long term? On the other hand, how can the PM deal with these unpredictable and recurrent changes?

In Mandarin Chinese, the word Crisis is composed of two ideograms. The first means "Wei" danger and the second "Ji" opportunity. This shows the paradox of a crisis: a dangerous situation that could create an opportunity.

Whatever the field in which this notion is used (health, economy, sociology, politics, ecology, etc.), the crisis is a synonymous with a deep disturbance that may lead to permanent changes. Nevertheless, even if it can be violent, a crisis is limited in time. In addition, as Bartoli (2012) points out, "highlighting a situation in crisis can be a real springboard for the strategic management of a necessary change".

The 12th AIRMAP conference will provide a better understanding of the issues and the nature of the changes. We invite you to think about PM, crises and post-crises.

- How are these changes transforming the PM and its organizations?

- Can PM help to get out sustainable of acute crisis situations in the long term?

- Has the PM won in agility after the health crisis?

- What are the emerging opportunities and perspectives of these crises for the public sector?

- What roles do organizational learning, public innovations, agility, flexibility and transversality play?

Moreover, during the last health crisis, we have observed an intensification of the use of digital technologies, which is undoubtedly one of the important explanatory factors of the agility and efficiency of public organizations during the crisis. Has it been used effectively? How this intense use of the digital can ensure a new opportunity? The same is true for work at home. Will this continue and in which way? Is it compatible the with New Public Management (NPM) or are we witnessing a new alternative management method looking totake over the NPM?

In any case, we observe an evolution in work habits and probably in management methods. However, is there a real paradigm shift at every turn? Does the management style differs depending on the crisis type ? Or is it a series of continuous adaptations and a strengthening of the NPM through new representations of performance induced by many crises? 

These components, which are not exhaustive, can be addressed using traditional management areas (strategy, human resources, finance, information systems, marketing, etc.). They can also be adressed on a sectoral basis or according  to the aereas of competencies (health, education, urban planning/housing, transport, economic development, employment, innovation and entrepreneurship, natural resources, safety and risk, tourism, sport and leisure, culture, etc.). PM is also concerned with the logics of the actors : the impacted actors (inhabitants, citizens, companies, etc.), the concerned actors (elected officials, administrations, technicians, etc.) and the interested actors (associations, experts, agents, etc.). The 12th AIRMAP conference will aim to provide answers to these questions.