The more actions, the higher the performance evaluation? Evidence from the crisis management of COVID-19 in China

Governments around the world have taken measures in fighting against COVID-19, but how the government's response affects the public evaluation of government performance in crisis remains to be examined. The study investigated how government actions, the public's trust in government, risk perception, and negative emotions influenced the public evaluation of government performance based on a primary survey. The findings showed that: (1) government actions and public evaluation of government performance in crisis are significantly and positively associated; (2) trust in government can positively lead to the public evaluation of government performance in crisis; (3) risk perception and negative emotions can negatively moderate and attenuate the previous positive relationship. The research revealed that the public evaluation of government performance is formed by the government actions through mediation effect of trust in government and also moderation effect of risk perception and emotional factors. Thus, this study innovatively developed a moderated mediation model of public perceived government performance which may serve as a basis for improving public evaluation while dealing with the crisis in other countries and regions.