Grace Atakorah presents research at international conference in Hollywood

Last month, University of Kansas graduate student Grace Atakorah gave a long talk at the American Society of Public Administration (ASPA) 26th annual conference in Hollywood, California, on March 19-24, 2026.

With international affiliates in more than 10 countries, Atakorah got the chance to disseminate her research to professors and practitioners from around the world.

"I was fortunate to have my abstract accepted," said Atakorah.

Her presentation was titled 'Balancing Short-Term Cost-Savings and Long-Term Resilience in Municipal Investment Decision-Making.' It describes the investment decisions local governments face to either save money now or invest in resilience for future crises. 

She said, "Literature from various scholarships shows that fiscal pressure and competition favor short-term efficiency, often at the expense of long-term preparedness. Still, the results from 479 cities used in the preliminary analysis highlight otherwise, showing that even when local governments face financial constraints, they prioritize resiliency over cost-savings."  

Paper Abstract Title: Balancing Short-Term Cost-Savings and Long-Term Resilience in Municipal Investment Decision-Making.

Abstract

In the face of increased risks from climate change, cyber-attacks, and infrastructure deterioration, local government officials often face investment choices that require balancing short-term cost efficiency with long-term resilience. Efforts to cut redundancies and reduce expenses often conflict with the need to build durable infrastructure and establish robust operating procedures capable of withstanding system shocks. These priorities, which are often seen as opposing, are especially relevant in a time of rising hazards, limited budgets, and growing citizen expectations. This study explores how these factors influence local government decision-making and identifies conditions that help prioritize resilience.

Drawing on survey data from officials representing 670 local governments across the United States, this research evaluates how much municipalities’ investment decisions over the past five years are seen as reflecting efficiency-based ideas that (a) providing basic services at the lowest cost is a priority and (b) reducing redundancies in operations helps save money. A resiliency perspective is captured by the extent to which they believe it is (c) worthwhile to spend more upfront to build stronger, more resilient infrastructure and (d) maintaining backups for critical local infrastructure is important for ensuring continuity in case of a disaster.

Using regression analysis, the study examines the factors that influence how local governments prioritize efficiency versus resiliency. Independent variables include cities’ fiscal capacity, political ideology, administrative leadership, population size, and previous exposure to crises like natural disasters or emergency responses. In addition to showing variation, the study tests theoretical expectations by identifying the main predictors most closely linked to government investment priorities.

Public administration scholar Oates (1999) highlights the efficiency imperative, where fiscal federalism and inter-jurisdictional competition encourage municipalities to cut redundancies and reduce spending. In contrast, Tierney (2014) stresses the importance of redundancy and capacity-building to withstand shocks. Previous research suggests that inter-jurisdictional competition limits long-term investments by focusing on immediate gains. This investigation's findings further emphasize the trade-offs between short-term expenditure competition and the development of long-term capacity. While decentralization aims to promote competitive local governance, uncoordinated competition can lead to unintended negative outcomes (Wenjuan and Zhao, 2023). The results will add to the broader discussion on how local public administrators can balance short-term trade-offs between cost efficiency and resilience amid fiscal constraints and environmental uncertainties.