Transnational crises are becoming a recurring feature of global governance, increasing the need for international cooperation while simultaneously making collective action more difficult. In this policy brief, Benjamin Faude and Kenneth W. Abbott examine how global governance arrangements can become more resilient—able to absorb shocks, adapt and innovate during crises, and prepare for future disruptions.
Drawing on the concept of 'hybrid institutional complexes', the authors argue that resilience depends less on the strength of any single institution than on the diversity and connectivity of the wider governance system. Robust institutions can maintain commitments and stability under pressure, while more flexible institutions can adapt quickly and develop new responses. Effective crisis management requires a balance between the two, supported by strong relationships that allow resources and capabilities to be mobilized across institutions.
Using the Global Financial Crisis and COVID-19 pandemic as case studies, the brief shows how institutional structure, leadership and the capacity for “innovation by bricolage” – recombining existing institutional resources in new ways – can shape crisis responses. The authors call for governments, international organizations and other governance actors to build diverse and interconnected institutional systems before crises occur, cultivate leaders capable of mobilizing them and strengthen institutional learning and preparedness for future shocks.
