The Administrative Accountability of Civil Servants: Theoretical Foundations, Influencing Mechanisms, and Governance Challenges

Administrative accountability is a core concern in public management, serving both as a fundamental principle guiding the administration of civil servants and as a crucial condition for achieving good governance. This study, based on a systematic literature review method to analyze 146 Chinese- and English-language scholarly works, provides a comprehensive overview of research on civil servants' administrative accountability and clarifies the conceptual connotation and theoretical foundations. Furthermore, it identifies the influencing factors and mechanisms underlying administrative accountability, examines the governance challenges currently faced in the process of implementation, and proposes the future direction of research to advance the field.

The review reveals that administrative accountability has been explored across multiple disciplines, including management, psychology, and ethics. However, the concept remains loosely defined and is primarily understood via three perspectives: relational, typological, and subjective perceptions. Based on an in-depth synthesis of existing studies, this article constructs a holistic framework for understanding the influencing logic behind civil servants' administrative accountability. Specifically, it identifies the key influencing factors from five dimensions—individual, institutional, situational, task-related, and technological—and examines the mechanisms driving the realization of accountability through the interplay of endogenous and exogenous factors. Additionally, the study analyzes the governance challenges currently facing civil servants, including the complexity of multiple accountability forums, the paradox between accountability and performance, and the risks associated with the integration of artificial intelligence into administrative accountability.

Building on these insights, this article outlines the direction of future research in the field of administrative accountability, including the refinement of conceptual definitions and measurement tools, the expansion of research on antecedents and influencing mechanisms, the exploration of accountability in the context of the integration of artificial intelligence, and the contextualization of accountability studies within China's governance framework. By mapping the knowledge landscape of civil servants' administrative accountability, this study not only advances theoretical inquiries but also provides practical implications for strengthening the implementation of accountability in public administration.